I thought my hope so high ‘cause I wished to live forever.
God said, “You’re bright, but your hope is not so clever.”

God explained, “Look, forever is already won, done, finished, complete.
My Brave One, Jesus, already accomplished this feat.

“You believe in Jesus, so forever is part of your now. It’s your ocean to play.
Snorkel in the sea of time. A piece of your forever is happening here today!

“But hope a little higher, human;
imagine pleasure without end.
Stretch your mind, human;
let me see how far your hope can bend.”

So I set my hoping mind to hoping again.
Looking forward to a life free of sin.

Higher than eternity I tried to think.
But, try as I did, I couldn’t push my hope over the brink.

Beyond the fence of forever, it wouldn’t budge.
Yes, easily my hopes climbed from pit and sludge.

And effortlessly I hoped for wings
and wished upon dazzling heavenly things.

But not one inch beyond forever.
(I think I needed a longer imagination lever.)

Again, God broke in.

He coached, “Hope has to hang on to something yet undone.
Think hard: What does forever miss? Of what could it use a ton?”
“Aa-ha!” I shouted, “Of course! Friends are forever’s lack!”
“You got it, kid!” God gave His knee a hearty whack.

“Eternity isn’t much to shout about when you are by yourself.
Take it from Me, it’s just you and eons of time and a heap of wealth.”

God kept going, “Stack all your hopes to hoping in others.
Pack forever with some sisters, neighbors and brothers.

“Then forever really begins to expand.
Picnics, football teams and maybe a little gospel band!

“Dream as you may, hope can go no higher, if forever alone.
One is far too small a number to enter the Halleluiah zone.”

“Never forget,” God added, “it takes two to romance.
Two are better than one. What are uncles without aunts?”

I smiled, catching the game. “Four can wrestle or romp in the forest.”
God said, “Yes, and four can make a fine barbershop chorus.”

I said, “Six in a tree or on a toboggan is a hoot.”
God laughed, “Now you’re really hoping. See, friends are heaven’s loot!”

All was quiet as He took a long moment to wipe a tear.
Then He put His arm on my shoulder and whispered, “Come near.

“Go and hope rightly, son. Win, work and pray
For friends close and foreigners far away.

“For love of people, I need you, child, to hope a little higher.
Forever will only be full if you will go forth with your heart on fire.”

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