The Colossians Hope

I have been studying the letter Paul wrote to my brothers and sisters that once lived in Colossae, a town at the feet of Mount Cadmus and the River Meander, of what is now Turkey. 

Close to Ephesus and the Roman Highway, middle eastern people, dealing with textiles, coming and going in everyday life, involved in the religious practices of the time, they said to have worshiped angels among other gods or lack thereof.

Paul described them as alienated, hostile and engaged in evil deeds, it another words, living their own lives, angry and doing bad things...

Well, it happened that Epaphras a man from the Colossian community heard the gospel somewhere else -probably from the Apostle Paul  and ran with the news taking advantage of the road and the Colossians in hearing the word of truth -according to Paul, were captured by the hope they could look forward to in heaven.

Here the Greek word for hope is elpis,  the fulfillment of all the promises presented in the gospel.

So the Colossians hoped... 

They cherished a desire with anticipation and expected with confidence 

Years ago, I myself a victim of despair, knelt defeated on my bedroom floor. That night I became the recipient of Christ hope, a hope that has withstood the test of time, life's hardships  and uncertainties.

Then and now, east and west, different cultures and endless options in dealing with despair. A time in which hope is cheap and comes in all colors and sizes. Yet among the clutter there is only one hope capable to fully mend, restore and sustain the core of a human being.

I believed in this hope as the Colossians did,  and may many find it among all the lesser hopes of this world and keep it to the end where only one will prove to be true and all promises fulfilled.