Hope under any circumstances!
All day long we had been pounded by heavy rain, battered by gusting winds,
and pitched back and forth by colossal waves and winding roads. What can you do
in such weather conditions?
Of course, the inhabitants of Vancouver Island found shelter in their warm, cozy
homes. How they must have laughed as they looked out of their picture windows at
the drenched tourists roaming the streets of Tofino!
But not all tourists were roaming the streets in the storm. Many decided to take
council from the island inhabitants, and they remained in their hotel rooms
devouring novels to pass the time. In all, the day appeared to be a write-off!
There were some daredevils out there, however, who seemed to anticipate this
stormy day with eagerness. Adrenaline coursing through their veins, they filled
their vehicles with wet suits, towels and surf boards, and took off for Long
Beach.
Long Beach, one of the most-visited beaches in the Pacific Rim National Park in
British Columbia, had been on our list of "must-sees" as well, and since we were
already hopelessly wet, when the exit for this famous beach appeared, we found
ourselves rolling off the highway.
Not all of us were crazy. My wife, who had appointed herself the "official
driver" for the winding roads back to Nanaimo (she didn't want to get sick
again!), decided this would be a great occasion to prepare for the long drive by
taking a nap. The rest of us were not so smart, and we set out in the rain.
While splashing along the soggy sands, my boys and I were shocked at the number
of surfers we saw. And despite the intemperate weather, they all had one thing
in common: they were wearing bright smiles! They were obviously enjoying their
day to the fullest!
We had only been on the beach for a few moments when I once again tired of
sloshing in my shoes, and I began to appreciate the wisdom my wife had shown by
staying in the car! I quickly rounded up my boys for our return trip to Nanaimo,
and we once again found ourselves on the road.
After twisting and turning for miles on end, we reached Cathedral Grove, a
forest of majestically tall Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar trees. We had read
that the oldest of these astounding trees are approximately 800 years in age,
and they measure approximately 76 meters (250 ft) in height and 9 meters (29 ft)
in circumference! Despite the fact that it was now dark and that it continued to
rain, we knew we had to get out of the car for a few minutes and walk among
these majestic giants. Did we ever feel like puny ants!
Unfortunately, many of these colossal trees had fallen, and their rotting trunks
littered the forest floor. We noticed, however, that even among the fallen logs,
hope had sprung anew. These defunct giants had turned into nursery logs,
harbouring thousands of huckleberry bushes, sala, and even young hemlock trees.
The nutrients in the decaying wood, and the fact that the logs kept the young
plants off of the shady forest floor, made ideal conditions for the new plants.
Later, as I reflected on these two incidences, I came to the conclusion that
there is always hope, even in the most desperate situations. Our circumstances
may seem to mercilessly engulf and swallow us, but if we take the time to look,
we will notice that even in these hopeless situations there is a bright future,
if we reach out for it!
"When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid
guarantee - God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the
promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have
every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an
unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very
presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent
post." (Heb 6:17-20 The Message)
Our hope is built on rock solid, on Jesus Christ, our "our living hope" (see 1
Tim 1:1)! With Him as our guarantor we have nothing to fear! He will come
through for us and although we may face temporary setbacks, the future is always
shining wide and bright!
"It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and
glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God." (1 Peter
1:21 The Message)
Where will you be when torrential rains bombard your hometown?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.