As we marvel at Him, we honor and love Him more deeply, recognizing our own vulnerabilities mirrored in His struggles. Thus, intense thoughts create a cycle, each influencing the other, until we realize that the tempest of danger has passed, leaving Israel’s light shining brighter than ever. You understand me, dear Russians, for I speak from our shared experiences.
O Lord, in whose hand lies the dominion of the earth, and who establishes what is needed upon it! Consider the trying times You have found for Nicholas, whom You chose and elevated for essential purposes. Right as he ascended to the throne of his ancestors, he faced a dire abyss that threatened both crown and kingdom. Yet he did not falter; he traversed that chasm, and we were comforted, only to see him face yet more dangers of conflict. After conquering two formidable battles with glory, we rejoiced, yet anew we confront the fearsome threat of a treacherous illness. Where this peril looms larger, there our King appears with fatherly concern, carrying the light worthy of the lamp of Israel, aiming to dispel the shadows of both genuine and false fears, diminishing real threats, vanquishing the phantoms of imagined danger, and guiding us through the profound darkness of naïve and obstinate ignorance—an ignorance that can be as hazardous and harmful as malevolence. Will this season of tribulation come to an end? Will the seventh summer, after six years marked by extraordinary reign, bring us perfect peace and rest? You, O Lord, weigh these matters in your hand.
How can we, dear Russians, alleviate our often-renewed anxieties fueled by loyal affection? How shall we fortify our joy for our Tsar? Is it not by the same means through which the King ensures His safety amidst perilous trials? Let us take this noble example as guidance toward virtues beneficial for all ranks and conditions of humanity. Trust in God must indeed remain our foundational pillar if we wish to build our well-being sturdily and safely.
We exist within time, a continuum of past, present, and future. Just as the future is an essential element of time, so too is hope, which pertains to the anticipated goodness of life, a vital aspect of our temporal existence. The Apostle says, “[he] who plows should plow with hope” (1 Cor. 9:10). If a laborer at day’s end were to lose hope in rising healthy and strong come morning, he would find neither rest nor renewal for his strength, nor would the providential goodness of nature be able to bestow its blessings upon him without his hope to receive them. There is no need for further examples; it is clear that one cannot navigate time without hope. It is imperative to determine upon whom or what to base one’s hope, ensuring it is steadfast and not misleading.
A person might place their hope in their own abilities, in another individual, or in varying circumstances. Choose wisely. Nebuchadnezzar, contemplating his city, declared, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I have built for my royal dwelling by my might and for my glory?” This grand declaration is not without fault, for therein lies the implication that if he could build such a city, surely he could uphold his own magnificence and honor. This was his misguided hope in himself. But fate intervened, as it did when “a voice from heaven” proclaimed, “Nebuchadnezzar, your kingdom is taken from you, and you will be driven away from mankind until you recognize that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men” (Dan. 4:27-29). This is an ancient tale that some may overlook, yet it serves as a reminder that the same God who reigned in times past administers the world today.
There was a recent ruler who similarly proclaimed, “This is my great empire that I have created.” He did not attribute it to inheritance or divine grace but rather to his own prowess. In response, heaven did not answer him as it did Nebuchadnezzar, but like Nebuchadnezzar, he faced judgment, not only losing his empire but being cast away into desolation. Some may think they are not kings or builders of empires and believe they are not subject to such harsh fates, but the calamity of Nebuchadnezzar arose not from his status as a ruler or the construction of Babylon; it stemmed from his arrogance, his misplaced trust in himself, and his failure to recognize God’s dominion. This example serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who is presumptuous, regardless of their station or endeavors, warning that pride founded upon delusions can lead to catastrophic failures.
Do not think that providence requires miracles to address every instance of arrogance; pride naturally contains its own downfall, leading to calamity. Let us examine a man individually. We soon discover that relying on oneself can be thwarted by the absence of necessary qualities essential for one’s well-being or for maintaining such well-being. One might depend on their intellect, yet without the right education, those gifts may yield little more than frustration. Another may look to relentless effort for success, yet absent creativity, their labor may produce only mediocrity. A brave heart is admirable, yet without discernment, it may lead only to danger instead of victory. Conversely, the prudent without courage may envision noble endeavors yet fail to act. Thus, it is clear that for one to have reasonable hope in oneself, one would need to possess all conceivable virtues to a high degree—a notion so far-fetched it can only be deemed madness.
Should we consider hope placed in others instead? Is it truly any more prudent? Each individual is just as limited and imperfect, so the folly of pride is equally present in placing one’s faith in others. This, too, may carry with it the burden of wrongdoing by neglecting the supreme majesty of God. Those who truly revere God recognize that true hope ought to rest in Him, who “works all things together for good for those who love Him” (Rom. 8:28), making even His faithful servants instruments of that hope. However, if one chooses to rely solely on man, they fail to honor God’s power, wisdom, and generosity. The Scriptures declare, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who draws strength from flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert” (Jer. 17:5-6).
The futility of hoping in various things or circumstances—such as wealth, noble lineage, or social status—has long been noted. Solomon, the wise, perceived such aspirations to be utterly vain, exclaiming, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2). Even those who stake everything on these notions express their own realization of emptiness. One who despises wealth attests to its lack of value; the ambitious contend with the futility of their dreams. Thus, both perspectives coalesce into the conclusion: “vanity of vanities.” Nabal, wealthy in resources, met a demise wrapped in despair; Achitophel, favored at court, succumbed to desperation. Job, despite his innocence, encountered the harshness of life’s fickle blessings. Ultimately, true hope cannot be stored in a treasury nor claimed by virtue of social standing.
What remains are two outcomes: to hope in God or to slide into despair if we dare to juxtapose them. If you anchor your hope in God, you establish a secure and enduring foundation for your welfare, for God possesses boundless goodness to care for your needs, wisdom to devise paths to that care, power to execute His will, and mercy to restore your lost state if by your own missteps you falter. However, should one abandon hope in God—who, in His compassion, does not withdraw hope from any living soul—despair becomes the only rational choice when contrasted with faith in transient and worthless things. Those impoverished by circumstance are often caught in the turbulence of calamity, their hope crumbling under the lightest uncertainty, like autumn leaves shaken by the breeze.
What hinders you from rising above the unreliable to grasp the steadfast hope intrinsically offered by God? God is high, the people may say. Indeed, high for you who think of Him as apart; yet He is neither distant nor removed but omnipresent. He is, in truth, closer to you than your own soul to your body; learn to find Him through faith and prayer. “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Ps. 144:18).
But some may say, “I am unworthy.” Rather, cast aside whatever renders you such and embrace faith, pray, and trust in God. Our God! “In Thee our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them; they cried to You, and were saved; they trusted in You and were not ashamed” (Ps. 21:5-6). “Let those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You have not forsaken those who seek You, O Lord” (Ps. 9:11). “All you people, trust in Him; pour out your hearts before Him, for God is our refuge” (Ps. 61:9). “It is good to trust in the Lord” (Ps. 117:9). “Let true Israel trust in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore” (Ps. 130:3). Amen.
THEOSIS