“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.”  Christopher Reeve

How are you coping with all the financial news these days?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  (Rom. 8:25; NIV)

As you can tell by some of my recent DGs, I’ve been continuing to process the irrefutable laws I featured back in August.  I’ve also been reading information from others who have written on those same laws.  Over the last several days I have found myself drawn to the promise of hope offered by the Law of Seasons (8/18/08 DG) and also known as the Law of Rhythm by a number of other authors. 

Let me be clear from the outset that given my personal beliefs as a Christian, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind where my hope lies–but since He is also the maker of the universe, I have no difficulty in thinking about the hope offered by a irrefutable or universal law clearly put in place by the “Manufacturer.”  As a parallel idea, note that we have no difficulty attributing the force that keeps us from drifting off into space as gravity while simultaneously acknowledging the source and wisdom of that gravity. 

All that aside for a moment, where does the title “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming” come from?  Many of you will recognize the title as a often repeated line in a very famous sermon preached by Marshall Shepherd, Sr. at a mostly black church in West Philadelphia and heard by Tony Campolo, Ph.D., who went on to use the line as the title of one of his most popular messages as well as the title of one of the 35 books he has written.  Campolo is professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University and for ten years was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.  (BTW, a link to an mp3 file of Campolo’s famous message is today’s link.)

The message revolves around the events of Easter weekend, with the bleak outlook presented by the crucifixion of Christ on Friday, but with the complete turnaround due to His resurrection on Sunday.  What’s all that got to do with the law of seasons?  Follow my line of thinking for a moment if you will.  I have never heard as much doom and gloom, fear, panic and concern in my entire life as we’re experiencing right now with the financial crisis that our country and the world is facing.  The only thing that comes close in my memory was Y2K which pales in comparison to this.  The media is having an absolute field day.  And when I say that I’m not trying to minimize the seriousness of the issue, but to observe that the sensationalist headlines and news stories we are hearing are simply fanning the flame to make the fire much hotter than it would probably otherwise be.  Borrowing from Campolo’s message…It’s (clearly) Friday!

I’ll have to explain this in greater depth in my next DG (interestingly enough on a Friday), but my message to you is that the law of seasons or law of rhythm offers us the incredible hope that it may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming!  Yes, this too will pass.  Many adjustments will undoubtedly have to be made, but if the law is truly a law (i.e., no exceptions), then one day we will be able to look back on this very difficult time with gratitude and see that most of those corrections and adjustments were for the good.  Next time I will spend more time on the law itself and hopefully make all this just a little clearer.  In the meantime, I encourage you to read or re-read the 8/18 DG.

Prayer Power
Lord, we’re so grateful that no matter what’s happening, Sunday’s coming!  We ask for grace to be able to keep our eyes on the good news that’s coming no matter how bleak it looks at the present time.

Link of the Day
It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming (mp3 file)
(Click to load and listen, right click to save as to your computer/mp3 player)

Blessings on you as you contemplate the ramifications of the Law of Seasons.