Dare to Hope

We live in a world where we often hear “bad news.” In the past two plus years, we’ve heard over and over again about a worldwide pandemic. In the beginning of 2022, we heard rumblings about the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine. As the year progressed, we’ve seen pictures of the Russian army attacking the people of Ukraine. Aside from these global crises, many of us experience personal crisis of some sort or another – whether it involves, finances, health or relationships. How are we to keep our head above  water in seasons of challenge? One word, hope. 

In the movie Shawshenk Redemption, Andy the main character is wrongly convicted of killing his wife. In spite of being the victim of injustice and being confined to a maximum-security prison, Andy never gives up hope. While in prison he gives his best friend, Red the gift of hope. Red learns from Andy that “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.” Eventually, Andy escapes and Red is paroled. When Red is out of prison, he struggles to adjust and thinks of Andy and about trying to find him in Mexico. Red’s hope to find Andy inspires him, and in one scene of the movie he says, “I hope I can make it across the border. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it is in my dreams”. 

While Shawshenk Redemption has a story book ending, not all stories in life end this way. In fact, many things that we put our hope in life in disappoint us, tempting us to give up on hope. Many of us have experienced dreams that don’t have story book endings. Or perhaps your dream came true but left you feeling unfilled and empty. 

If you want to benefit from hope, place your hope not in hope itself but in the author of hope. Our Creator has chosen to allow us to live in the middle of a battle between good and evil. While we experience the shadow of life as it was intended, we also experience the heartache that comes with living in the middle of a battlefield. The author of Psalm 66:10-12 penned these words. “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.” 

In the midst of chaos, it’s possible to live with hope. Our hope as fallen people living in a fallen world centers in the one who made us. He is the one who entered the battle we are in and gave his life, so that we could have life. War brings out the worst and the best in people. Unspeakable atrocities take place during times of war, but people also risk their lives for their fellow soldiers and countrymen. There have been times when soldiers have jumped onto a grenade to lessen its impact on those around them. 

What would you say if the author of life – sacrificed his own life – in the midst of the battle so that you could have life? Friend, the author of life has indeed shed his own blood so that you could have victory over darkness, evil, death. He did it so that you could join him living as a redeemed, forgiven, new person in a world better than the one Red dreamed of. Friend, the author of life has got your back, and His name is Jesus!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Friend, no matter what you’ve done, no matter what regrets you may have – the author of life wants you to know that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). If you’ve never called on the name of the Lord, do so today, don’t wait for tomorrow. Tomorrows, eventually run out. When you call out to the Lord in prayer, confess your sin and ask him to be leader of your life in the middle of this battle between good and evil. “If you, declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). Scripture taken from the NIV.