The Secret to Perpetual Hope

My Great Grandpa Roy Stonewall Johnson with his perpetual motion machine

    My great-grandfather, Roy Stonewall Johnson, a man of many talents— served in both the Army and the Navy, and a serious tinkerer. He had a dream, a wild one at that: to build a perpetual motion machine. You know, the kind that runs forever without needing any extra juice. A machine that could power your car without gas, light your home without bills. Sounds like a sci-fi dream, right?

    Humans have been chasing this dream since the Middle Ages. So my great-grandfather was not alone in his desire to make such a machine. Imagine, a device that defies the need for external energy! The possibilities are mind-boggling. But, as my great-grandfather likely discovered, there's a tiny, or rather, a huge problem: the laws of thermodynamics.

    Those pesky laws, the first and second, tell us that in a closed system, energy inevitably dissipates. Kinetic energy, the energy of motion, decreases over time. So, no matter how ingeniously crafted, every machine, every gadget, even our own bodies, will eventually wear down. It’s why your phone battery dies, your car needs maintenance, and, well, why we age.

"Everything that has a beginning has an end." – Neo, The Matrix Revolutions.

    This truth can feel a bit… depressing. Everything we own, everything we build, is temporary. But what if there was something that defied this rule? Something that truly lasted forever?

Enter the good news: our inheritance in Christ.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:3-4)

    The Apostle Peter wrote these words to Christians facing intense hardships, reminding them of an eternal reality. He described our inheritance as:

• Imperishable: This means no expiration date, no rust, no decay. Our salvation is eternal.
• Undefiled: This means Pure, genuine, and exactly as promised. No bait-and-switch here!
• Unfading: This means it doesn't lose its luster or value. unlike the car you just bought off the lot. 
• Kept in Heaven for You: Secure, protected, and reserved by God himself. No one can steal it, and we can’t lose it.

    Think of it like this: while my great-grandfather's perpetual motion dream was bound by earthly laws, our spiritual inheritance transcends them. It's a promise that defies the limitations of our physical world. These promises come from God who has no beginning and no end. He made these laws, but He is not bound by them. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves  do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) 

    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes it feels like everything is falling apart. But in those moments, we can anchor ourselves in the truth of our eternal inheritance. It's a reminder that our hope is secure, our future is bright, and our true home awaits. 

    So no matter what is going on in your world today, as a believer in Christ we have a promise we can hold on too. A promise that can not be taken away, will not diminish and will last for all eternity. 

So let me share with you just a few ways you might be able to apply this wonderful truth to your life this week. 

1. Daily Reflection: Take a few moments each day this week to meditate on 1 Peter 1:3-4. Remind yourself of the imperishable, undefiled, and unfading nature of your inheritance. Let it sink in.
2. Gratitude Journal: Write down things you are grateful for, especially those related to your faith. This helps to shift your focus from temporary troubles to our eternal blessings.
3. Share Your Hope: Share your faith with others, especially those going through difficult times. Remind them that there is a hope that transcends earthly struggles.
4. Invest in Eternal Values: Focus on things that have eternal value. Serving others, growing your relationship with God, and spreading the gospel. These are the things that will last. 

    So, while we might not be able to build a machine that runs forever, we can rest assured that we have an inheritance that will. And that, my friends, is truly something extraordinary.