Living As Prisoners Of Hope

Sit back for a moment and imagine this with me — what would happen if YOU suddenly developed the ability to reliably predict the future? Just that one talent would bring Wall Street investors, Pentagon war planners, talent scouts and business tycoons racing to your doorstep. You’d be treated to a free lunch every day, or more likely, sequestered by the FBI as a national security threat!

And for good reason. The ability to REALLY see into the unknown would be priceless. Few of us would turn down the opportunity to learn “what’s coming next” so we could position ourselves accordingly.

That’s because we are often tempted to imagine a grim future, to worry about what’s coming next or “batten down the hatches” fearing trouble is just around the corner.

This Sunday at Trinity Downtown, one of our Scripture readings will be from the writings of the prophet Zechariah, whose ministry focused on the time AFTER the return of the Babylonian exiles. It was a time filled with fear, war, uncertainty and malaise. Zechariah exhorted the returning Jews to break out of their prison of fear and become “prisoners of hope”. He saw the future that God revealed to him, and it wasn’t something to be feared, but something to be welcomed; the Messiah was coming!

Isn’t that a great image? Instead of being a prisoner to our fears, we choose to become prisoners of hope; to resist the chains of worry and return to the stronghold of Jesus’ grace and love for us.

This Sunday, come join the throng of beloved worriers who will gather to hear the Holy Spirit’s whispers of hope. It will make a world of difference in your life.