When one looks at the incredible signs in Luke’s passage, “from the heights to the sea, from the planets to the shaking earth,” the author reminds us to “look up” because something incredible is about to happen. We will finally experience what it means to discover a total transformation.

     Unfortunately, I know what it feels like for my entire world and all that extends beyond it to continue down a road of chaos and destruction. I also know the incredible experience of one day stepping out in faith, looking up into the heavens, and expecting God to work a miracle through me.

     Our mission is to resist staying down in chaos but rise above it. Only with our heads taken out of the things that hold us back can we experience our redemption, our total transformation into our complete selves. We must first make the move by acknowledging that we cannot continue down a road that leads to despair and heartache. There must be another path to wholeness.

     When we break free, the roaring seas of shame no longer hold power over us, and the surging waves of anxiety and hurt no longer pull us back down into a sea of fear. We are redeemed, remade, and reborn into Christ’s image that we always carried but never let out. As this text describes, everything changes in our lives, bringing a profound sense of liberation and relief, filling us with hope and a renewed spirit.

     Our hope in Christ offers a unique and powerful way to overcome adversity. It’s not just a change in heart but a transformation that awakens a new way to live. Praise be to God, who brings hope to each soul, strengthening us in our journey of faith.