“Everything that is up must come down. ” 

I have heard that said before, and to be frank I considered it a rule — a rule for expected disappointments  

Which is why for a long time I tried to live in such a way that I didn’t have to count on anyone.  

Yet… that was terrible for my human frame, and I know it isn’t good at all now. 

Perhaps since the beginning, humans were living in a tribal format. It was especially advantageous then, for against the cruelty of nature and exposure, there was some safety to be found in numbers. 

We lived like this far longer than we have been living now. 

Now — while there are still close relationships and families — we live in a format where we are trying to find our own self-sufficiency.  

I’m not merely talking about income. 

Back then, when we had to depend on each other… we REALLY had too.  

Now, I feel there is a hidden sense of shame that comes from a very natural human need. 

The need of connection.

I would go so far to say it was placed in the heart by the hand of God himself. 

There shouldn’t be the overwhelming sense of guilt — or societal pressure — over our need to be interdependent on each other, but… there should certainly be a sense of pause with being overly dependent on someone/group/etc. 

Which leads me to this thought…. 

How would joy and hope arise like a phoenix from the ashes among us if we knew not of the struggles another was facing — that is — if they hid their struggles from people out of the same sense of shame? 

Even God didn’t hide the desires of his heart, and his NEED (yes, I said that) to express his spirit among his companions. 

Corporeally, and corporately there is a stigma from appearing “weak”, or lacking strength. I have found this even in places where it was not supposed to be present.  

Let it be remembered that the Great One, Christ Jesus himself, hung on a cross in utter “shame” and yes… weakness. 

We are not gods. We are people. 

When God himself is more akin to one of the best of us… we are doing something wrong. 

We must remember to come together with our spines down. 

We must go past the past, and press on towards the future, and truly do the facing part of “facing fears”. 

Only then can we find the hope we always had available in the Gift within oneself.  

Interestingly, even in ancient creation stories you can find a bad attitude towards “weakness”. They always required an element of seizing and violence in order to bring about a new order. Whereby chaos is reined in by a lesser chaos, so to speak. 

Meanwhile, if one looks in the beginning of scripture, you can find the Spirit of God hovering over the waters. Giving her OWN inspiration and power in the creation of the world, and to the worlds above. 

In the stories of men, you find the elements of violence for the greater good. 

More like their “good” in not having an open heart, where a false bow of justification is worn about ones neck to say how fancy they are.

Far be such a thing from the heart of God.

In the story, which is Christ personified, you find the elements of the greatest good being freely given. Faith, Love, and yes — Hope.

You can look at any one of these ancient stories: Rome, Babylon, Sumeria, etc. Many have the aspect of violence to get ahead. Where blood begets blood. Amorphous bloodshed becomes blood formed, so to speak.  It doesn’t have to be literal. More or less it was an attitude of the heart that these stories exalted.

Ironically, these nations that exalted them often fell by their own “strength”. Exalted much?

No.

You don’t find that in the beginning. In Genesis, God fills the earth with himself, of himself, and of his own reserve. By him alone it is formed.  In hope for all to be one with him, even before we were.

If you believe this story, you can’t really say that the Earth was made Ex Nihilo when…  

For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. 

Colossians 1:16-20, WEB 

The blood… freely given for humankind to receive. In the hope of salvation for all men. A way of peace, and a way of eternal life. A code that needn’t change, for by him it is made sufficient.  

His blood is more than just the connective tissue/fluid that was in his veins on earth.  

It is the Holy Spirit that raised him back unto glorified life, by the will of the Father. 

God (MC Father) raised Christ Jesus from death. Does God’s Spirit live in you? Then God will also give life to your bodies which die. He does this through his Spirit who lives in you. 

Romans 8:11, WEB 

I make a point of mentioning the Holy Spirit BECAUSE…

In a very real way — she is the blood of Christ, on earth and in heaven. 

They are one. Father, Spirit, and Son are tied in substance and nature so deeply that they are almost indistinguishable on an immaterial level.  In Faith, in Hope, and in Love.

They were always like this.

Not only among themselves, but for All. 

Their openness, kindness, grace, and mercy evermore given in hope, for all. 

That alone is a reason to hope for ourselves, for others, and for the future.  

And it is the reason we should connect with one another. For who knows? You may just befriend an angel, as it is written. 

So…. 

What shall you hope in… dreamer? 

I’ll let you decide.  

Peace