I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never been terribly successful with them. However, this year in addition to religiously taking my daily dose of calcium, I decided to do one thing. I decided to slowly read through the Book of Acts. I had read something last year about how the church of today is more like the early church than ever before. In choosing to make my way through the book, I have made a point of recording in my journal what insights I have made about these early believers life together. (More about that at another time.)

A particular line today grabbed me. I am using Eugene Peterson’s version of the scriptures entitled The Message, chosen for its readability and often fresh ways of using language. In translating David’s words in the second chapter, Peter says:"I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope."

I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope. Sounds like a good plan to me. Knowing that these early Christians didn’t live in a world less violent, less filled with injustice or oppression, less torn by poverty and inequity of power, less frightening, than we do now, it seems an audacious statement. Granted, in our day we know so much more about what is going on in the world through media and instant information that is can seem as if we are in a constant state of fearful chaos and that those long ago would find it much easier to make such a statement. But I really don’t think that is true. Their world view may have been smaller but the ways in which humans choose to behave toward one another hasn’t varied that much. After all, they had witnessed the brutal killing of their beloved teacher Jesus and were now trying to shape their future together.

As the year 2007 begins we are still at war, we still encounter those who live on the streets and ask how this can be happening in the wealthiest country in the world. We hear news reports that make us cringe and it would be easy to fall into despair. The wisdom of this early community must have been their decision to pitch their tent in the land of hope. Otherwise we might not be telling their story today and our story as people of faith might have been very different. It could have disappeared with their despair.

A couple of years ago I was at a wedding in which the couple, who had written their own vows, promised to "be witnesses to hope in the world." What a promise! And what a way to begin a life together. To wake up every day knowing that today it was my promise to my beloved that I would witness to the hope that is often visible, sometimes hidden,yet always present in the goodness at the core of Creation, always waiting to be revealed.

Hope?  Perhaps 2007 will  be the year when we all decide to pitch our tents in the land of hope. Who knows what a difference it might make?