By Demetrius Moffett

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hope is a valuable commodity when it comes to faith.

Without hope what do we have?

We all have been at the place where we have hoped for something. As children, we learned and understood hope prior to learning faith.

Hope brings us joy, happiness and raises our expectation to receive the desires of our hearts. The lack of hope can breed alienation, forsakenness, oppression, doom, captivity and helplessness. It can cause us to be uninspired, powerless, and limitedness.

Nine months after Hurricane Harvey has put his signature upon the lives of our region. We still have neighbors who are still displaced, in need of rip out and some staring at studs every time they come home.

The tragedy now is with everyday that passes the effects of Harvey are falling off people’s radar and we are weeks away from a new hurricane season.

God forbid another hurricane to hit anywhere in our country and our region has just become old news. There are so many more who still have un-met needs.

In this season our community is hoping to return to some sense of normalcy causing our faith to truly be tested.

For those who are being restored or did not suffer damage it’s becoming easier and easier to become apathetic in our thoughts for those who are still suffering.

Some of our elderly are feeling abandon, alienated and forsaken.

We’ve had four teenage suicides since Harvey and domestic violence has increased 3-percent due to the effects of hope being challenged.

I believe we have true concerns for our neighbors. We can help by keeping hope alive by not allowing our neighbors to fall through the cracks.

Hope can be contagious. I understand some may not have materials, money or the strength to supply manpower. But what we do have and can give is hope.

By giving hope we can help to build faith. Faith without works is dead.

The lack of work not only kills faith, it destroys hope. Let’s make hope, hopeful, not helpless.

 

Demetrius Moffett is Senior Pastor of Orange Church of God, 1911 North 16th Street in Orange.