THE ANVIL

The Fear of Hope

This picture shows the predator as he stalks the unwary. The poor victim has no idea that death lies at the door, but the audience does.

"Why don't you run! Why don't you wake up!!" they scream, as the silent certainty of their fate creeps nearer. The audience knows, however, that it is only a character in a movie that is about to die; which means the audience member is in no danger.

Does death lurk at your door? It lurks at mine.

So many get caught up in the rate of death, or death to birth, or age statistics; but you and I really only need to know 1 statistic: death is 100%. No matter our age, our location, or our community status; it's coming. It is just as silent and menacing as our stairway creeper, Boris Karloff, in Dracula. We are just as vulnerable as Boris's victim. If only there were someone to warn us!!!

But who told me death lurks at my door? Who is watching the film, that can shout from the realm of the audience , and be heard in the ear of the character? And if we do hear, what can be done about it?

Current events shape so much of our conversation, and at this time, the world watches as Ukrainian men women and children, suffer the effects of devastating weapons placed at the disposal of someone who has no regard for life. We watch as the young men, whose lives are at the disposal of this individual, suffer the death they thought was so far distant.

Whether death comes from an explosion, a bullet, a car accident, or an illness; it comes. When it comes, and you hear it knocking on your door; or turning the creaking knob: where will you hide? Where will you be, in the useless pile of rubble of your belongings? Your life, like a puff of smoke in the ocean breeze, is gone.

Your dream of a family, your hope of success, your bitter rivalry, and all your assets; are scattered in an instant: in the twinkling of an eye. Where is your hope in that?

Is your hope in the misshapen theories of the paranormal? That you might float around as an angel: if you were good enough? That you might be stuck in a house, unable to find peace: because something happened? That you will never have rest: because people conjure you up? Is that hope? How qualified is that to be your hope?

Shouldn't our hope have some credentials, and even some evidence; or is hope just a pipe dream for old women? What if I say, "I hope I can fly." Why don't we take a look at two ways to try it.

The person who jumps off the building knows the very likely end; but does it anyway. Their hopes of survival cannot be based on reality, because the reality tells them, this is foolish. There is nothing between their jump and their impact. This hope has no credentials.

The person getting on a plane may not know the pilot, the procedures, or how to fly the plane; but their hope is based on reality. Someone who knows how to fly, is going to get them where they want to go, in a vessel that is extremely likely to succeed. This hope has credentials.

The evidence of the paranormal is real. The natural theories are not.

The question is: are you waiting for your turn to jump when the time comes; or are you going to get on the vessel now?

Maybe hope is for old women. Death does lurk at my door, and for all I know, he's even turned the knob. I'd be scared, except I'm sitting in first class. Jesus is the vessel.