But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Galatians 4:4-5

We already know and have the answer! A human being who is also God is sitting at the control panel of the universe!

The Father sent Jesus at the exact time and place to acquire humanity in his person so he could redeem us all. His first Advent guarantees his second.

At Visalia Rescue Mission we daily remind our guests and residents to stop looking nervously around at the fearful conditions of living, but instead re-focus on the fact that the living Jesus controls the past, present and future. He came at the right time, is coming back at the right time and is in complete control of right now! If we remind ourselves of this fact, that all our times are in his hands, we can be calm and confident every day.

For the Christian hope is something that is certain. Hope for non-believers is little more than wishful thinking, betting that chance will fall in their favor. Hope is rather a set time and destination that our adoptive Father has fixed when He will sum up everything in Christ. He will write the end of every story. Our hope is not in a set of abstract philosophical or theological propositions. Our hope and the hope of the world is in a living breathing person with a beating heart who knows and loves all who are his.