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hope

The rut of cynicism

July 29, 2022July 28, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

I heard about a judge who was hearing the case of a young repeat offender.  He was getting sick of seeing his face and was about to be harsh. But something came over him. He started to ask the young man why his life was so hard. What was making things so difficult?  Then, in … Continue reading The rut of cynicism

Cast Away – but never hopeless

May 3, 2022May 2, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Do you remember the Tom Hanks movie called Cast Away? He played a FedEx employee named Chuck.  His plane crashed into the sea. Chuck was the only survivor and washed up onto a deserted island. Several packages also washed ashore. He opened them hoping that the contents would help him survive.  One package contained hockey … Continue reading Cast Away – but never hopeless

Hope is kindled

April 7, 2022April 6, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Today is a new day. Honestly. It is.  Yesterday was its own thing. Sure, each new day is influenced by what happened the day before. But there’s nothing you can do about that now, is there? The same goes for last week, last year, or even the last decade. That was then. This is now. … Continue reading Hope is kindled

Illness has an end-date

April 5, 2022April 4, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

There are seven miraculous “signs” in John’s Gospel. One is the healing of a boy with a death-threatening fever. “The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live’” (John 4:49-50). But what purpose do these signs serve? They certainly provide compassionate help! But they also confirm … Continue reading Illness has an end-date

The definition of hope

November 30, 2021November 29, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Sunday marked the start of Advent, a Latin word meaning “coming.” It refers to the coming of Christ, either as a baby at Christmas, or as Saviour and Judge at his return. A repeated theme during Advent is hope. But what is hope? My son and I were brainstorming things we hope for. We hope for … Continue reading The definition of hope

Don’t take hope for granted

November 16, 2021November 15, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

We can take things for granted.  Even hope.  William Temple paints a bleak picture of not having any hope, nor any belief in the source of hope, God:  “for man’s moral and spiritual life is in this world a baffled and thwarted enterprise; and the scene of our endeavor is slowly becoming uninhabitable, so that … Continue reading Don’t take hope for granted

You have to go out!

November 2, 2021November 1, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

In Cape May, New Jersey, a commander of a ship was aboard with his men. They were getting ready to head out onto the open waters. A massive storm was brewing.  One of the young men shouted, “But, Captain! If we go out there, we may never come back.” The captain answered, “Son, you don’t … Continue reading You have to go out!

The weekly reminder that the best is yet to come

October 13, 2021October 12, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Rest. We know it’s good. We know we need it. We probably want more of it. Dragging feet, dark bags under our eyes, and deflated hearts testify this to be the case. But it also serves a larger function. Momentary rest is meant to foreshadow eternal rest. By “eternal rest” I mean the Rest-In-Peace variety … Continue reading The weekly reminder that the best is yet to come

I look for the good things

July 16, 2021July 15, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

I know someone who seems incapable of seeing anything in a positive way. Cynicism is the air they breathe—both in and out. They even seem to think that their tainted outlook makes them wise. But it doesn’t. If you’re like the rest of humanity, this most recent chapter of life hasn’t been ideal. That’s why … Continue reading I look for the good things

There is hope for you too

April 8, 2021April 7, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

After looking in the tomb where Jesus’ body had been (and not finding it), Luke 24:12 tells us that Peter “went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” The word for “wondering” could also be translated as “marveling.” He was marveling at the events. At this point in the story I get the sense that … Continue reading There is hope for you too

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