Would it be worth it? Would the 528 steps up to the dome live up to the promise of an incredible view? Ryan and I bent down for the low overhang and trekked up the 300-year old narrow steps to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral. During World War II, this cross-shaped church was a symbol of hope, the very soul of the city of London.
London had seen the rise of the Nazis and the fall of entire nations. It was easy to read the writing on the wall: the Germans were coming for them next. The British faced the stark realization that they were standing alone against the seemingly unstoppable army of Hitler. Britain was running low on supplies and the morale of her countrymen was, according to one report, “zero.”
On December 30, 1940, after a night of bombing by the Germans, Londoners came out slowly to survey the damage, and it was then that blitz survivor Dorothy Barton said, “I felt a lump in my throat because, like so many people, I felt that while St. Paul’s survived so would we.”
We are a people wired for hope.
We are a people who see the enemy approaching and feel all alone in our fight. We look around and see hurt and need and destruction and darkness and believe that our enemy must be unstoppable. Victory seems unlikely, and our morale is low.
As we live in a fallen world falling further away from truth and light, our souls strain for what is unshakeable. We want to see what’s good and holy and right and just. We intently scan to see what will stand fast when we are falling apart. What cannot perish. What cannot fail. What cannot be corrupted by evil.
Our soul’s version of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the mortal, temporary building that gave London hope, is our immortal, eternal High Priest, Jesus, who gives the entire world hope.
The trek up all those stairs was worth the view. Our trek to the top of the dome was worth every step and heavy breath. The view was expansive: we could see the historical parts of London like the Tower of London as well as the newest buildings like The Shard.
And the journey of this life, as we hold hands with Hope, is worth every single slight, trial, delay, and hurt. There are days when I feel more discouraged than victorious, days when sadness at my own sin threatens to overwhelm more than the grace crashing over me.
But when I take in the expansiveness of who He truly is, I understand that His love for me is unstoppable, unfailing, and uncontainable. I understand that this high view of Him is the beginning of wisdom. I understand that He is salt and light, grace and truth, savior and shepherd. He is so I AM that I cannot possibly think of all the ways to describe Him.
Every step is worth it when our hope is in Jesus, the One who gave us Himself so that we might be kept steadfast, and so that we can stand before God’s presence as blameless and joyful.
Listen here for a hoo-rah reminder to increase your hope this holy season:
Thank you, Jill! Love this and loved your audio message! Hope! Yes!
Thank you Leslie! Christ is risen from the dead. What hope we have!