The City of Hope

As Bekah and I walked around the downtown on Wednesday, we noticed a bunch of billboards that call the city "The City of Hope." It seems that this is the government's slogan. That really got me thinking quite a bit about what hope really is and if there is any true hope here in Mexico City.
My mind ran to 1 Timothy 1:1, where Paul speaks of "Christ Jesus our hope." Titus 1:2 speaks of the hope of eternal life which God, who does not lie, has promised us. Those who lose loved ones in death sorrow because they do not have any hope (1 Thess 4:13).
So it seems hard to imagine that Mexico City can in any way be called a "City of Hope." The only hope for Mexico City and its people is Jesus Christ. The only way to be reconciled with God is through the sinless, wrath-appeasing sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. This hope is not limited to this life (1 Cor 15:19); Jesus Christ is also our hope of future glory (Col 1:27). Social programs, human government, and better living conditions are a far cry from the true hope which those who have trusted in Christ enjoy.