by Howard Hain

Andrei Rublev, “The Trinity”, ca. 1411

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…”

—Hebrews 11:1

Out on Interstate 80 in New Jersey, about 70 miles from Manhattan, is a little amusement park for young children. It’s called The Land of Make Believe. And it is located in the small town of Hope.

I’ve never been to the park before, although I’ve traveled through Hope many times.

Those 70 miles got me thinking:

Without a belief in Heaven, Hell loses it’s significance.

And a life without hope makes Hell very real.

———

Jesus came to make our lives joyful and full of purpose.

After all, He told us that “the kingdom of God is within”, and that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.

From such eternal optimism, which is most certainly and profoundly true, I can see how a temptation may arise. The temptation of…