Some years ago, there was a
Broadway show with the intriguing title, “On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever.”
I believe that it was even made into a movie. Now, I don’t remember a thing
about either the Broadway show or the movie; but I sure do remember the title! “On
a Clear Day, You Can See Forever.” What a vision that brings to mind! It
conjures up an image of a cloudless sky so clear and blue that it seems to go
all the way to heaven itself. And on the other side of that sky… what? Despite
the title of the show, our vision isn’t that good. We need some help to see
that far. We could try using binoculars, like the ones that I use to identify
birds perched on the fence at the far side of our yard. But they can only help
me see for about 50 yards. Our military forces have high-powered binoculars
that can see a lot farther than the ones I use. Those binoculars can spot
hostile forces on a ridge several miles away. But even those binoculars can’t
see forever. No, to see forever, we have to use God’s binoculars.
And what if we looked through
God’s binoculars? What would we see? We would see a world that looks a lot like
this one, but with none of the smear of sin that we live with every day. We
would see a world of amazing beauty. We would see a world where all
relationships are healthy, where everyone respects all others with no greed or
jealousy or hatred. We would see a world where everyone sits together at a
banquet table where all are fed and none are excluded. We would see a world of
welcome, of nourishment, and of love. We would see the fullness of the Kingdom
of God.
Now, there are those who say
that such a place isn’t possible. They claim that it’s pie in the sky by and
by. They call such a vision “wishful thinking.” They look around at wars and
diseases and earthquakes; and they can’t believe that our world will ever
change. But that’s because they have never looked through God’s binoculars. Do
you know what the name of those binoculars is? It’s “hope.” Hope can see all
the way to the end of time itself. Faith is knowing that God walks with us day
by day, giving us the courage to walk boldly into the future and doing things
that we have never dared to do before; and hope is knowing that we are walking
into a future that is in God’s hands!
Let me tell you a secret
about the future. When we reach it, God will already be there. And God keeps
giving us glimpses of it so that we keep going. Let’s face it, without God’s
binoculars of hope, we’d get so tired and frustrated that we’d just sit down
and give up. And we all get to that point now and then. We feel like a hiker
who has tried to cover too much ground in one day. Even if you’re never hiked a
trail in your life, I’ll bet you know that feeling. Our feet hurt; the backpack
we’re carrying feels like it has rocks in it; and all we can think about is how
tired we are. So God gives us a look through those binoculars of hope. Through
them, we can see clear, cold streams that gurgle as they dance over pebbles. We
can see soft beds of pine needles in fragrant forests. We can smell the aroma
of fresh-caught trout grilling over an open fire. And we find the strength to
go on for just a little bit longer.
Well, fellow hikers, I caught
a glimpse of that beautiful world this morning. Maybe you did, too. I saw it
when two fine young men announced their intention to follow Jesus Christ and
were baptized. I saw it when this congregation welcomed them with enthusiasm
and joy. I see it every week when we pray for one another and support one
another in the midst of all kinds of difficult situations. And I will see it
when we rejoice because of birthdays and graduations and anniversaries. Even in
the midst of a world that is very far away from the kind of world that God
wants for us, we can see what will one day be a reality. How does Paul put it
in his letter to the Romans? “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God; and
that hope does not disappoint us!”
Thanks be to God for clear
days! And thanks be to God for the binoculars of hope that help us to catch a
glimpse of forever!
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