There was a small town that had been selected to be the site of a hydroelectric plant. The plan was to set up a dam across the river which would result in the submerging of the small town. The announcement of the plan was made with ample time to give all the residents there the opportunity to get their affairs in order and relocate.

In the intervening months, something strange took place. House upkeep stopped. Community improvement ceased. Infrastructure, basic lawn care, all came to an end. The town looked abandoned long before any of the residents had moved away.

One resident explained the phenomenon in these terms: “Where there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

That is a life lesson worth remembering. Hope for tomorrow produces strength for today. We have living hope because of the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3) and the unshakeable promises of God (Heb. 6:18-19).