Today, we continue in our series, Christianity in a Modern Culture.

The elevator shifted and maneuvered down the shaft. We made small talk as we descended. A normal ride towards the first floor.

But as the light above shifted to form a “2”, the car pounded to a bone-jarring halt. If you’ve ever had that moment in the elevator, everybody’s eyes shift past each other. Nervous laughter fills the car, and a joke or two is made about the possibility of getting stuck.

Just like always though, the elevator continued downward. However, this time, within seconds the car shifted to another thundering halt. Surely this isn’t happening.

We glanced at each other, sudden apprehension wiping away any previous amusement.

“Well, this is something to check off the bucket list,” I say, mostly to calm my own nerves. Everybody laughs.

The car grew warm from our six bodies and minimal air circulation inside. Voices hollered from somewhere outside our metal cage.

An hour and a half later, the fire department pried open the car’s door. It appears we’re six feet from the actual floor. They begin to ask for our belongings, and then give instructions.

“Slide forward head first.”

“Be careful. There’s a gap between us. It’s a forty foot drop if you fall.”

Forty feet? Seriously!

We take turns making our escape, our adventure concluding with the touch of each foot to the surface below. Thankfully, the “gap between us” only turned out to be a foot wide or so. However, the entire adventure and especially the words forty feet had me on nerves.

For Christians living in a modern world, we have these moments too. Glance around, and you’ll witness enough immorality to feel concern and worry for the future. We should approach the world practically, but we also don’t need to feel doom and gloom over it.

In my personal devotions, I’ve focused on reading Isaiah. The book challenges Israel to return to faithfulness, while presenting God’s plan for the future. It sometimes speaks very explicitly towards sin and the future consequences, but Isaiah always returns to a description of future hope.

We, too, have a hope-filled future. So in a modern-world:

1.) Live with confidence.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10

2.) Reflect your reason for joy.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

3.) Anticipate the future.

A highway will be there, a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
No lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
These will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,
And the ransomed of the Lord will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will find gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 35:8-10

In a world full of sadness, we have a light worth carrying. Carry the world’s hope well.