Hope Falls Down

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And after He said this He breathed His last.  Luke 23: 46

Can you recall a time where you were disappointed and felt let down?  You could probably name a few times over the past week or possibly even today.  Put yourselves into the shoes of the disciples and followers that witnessed Jesus' death first hand.  This group had given up everything to follow Christ and now He was dead?  All of the miracles they witnessed, the lives that had been changed; this was how it all ended?

If He really was the Christ, why didn't He send an army of angels to rescue Him from such a cruel and gruesome death?  How did His mother Mary feel? The baby she had loved and raised was now dead and hanging from a cross? Talk about disappointment....

I am certain in the days between Jesus' crucifixion and His resurrection, the confusion, the hurt, the doubt, and disappointment must have been overwhelming for Jesus' followers.  They must have felt like they had bet the farm and lost it all.  When Jesus took His last breath, His followers must have lost the hope they once had, despite Jesus telling them over and over again that He was 'going away to prepare a place for them'. (John 14:2)

We sometimes overlook the fact that Jesus is always with us when we face disappointment or struggles of our own.  Don't ever let your hope in Him fade away, no matter what it is you are facing.  God will never let you down and He always makes good on His promises.

I Am Free

Through Christ you have come to trust in God.  And you have placed your faith and hope in God because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory.  1 Peter 1:21

Being fans of everything  producer JJ Abrams does,  Alicia and I have enjoyed his new television series called Alcatraz.  Going on a limb here, I can’t imagine the overwhelming hope and freedom a prisoner from Alcatraz must feel when they suddenly find themselves transported through time, outside the walls of the prison.  (I cannot divulge much more information as it may be a spoiler to anyone interested in watching the program...) 

Our salvation is much the same as a prisoner on death row suddenly pardoned or set free.  We were all once spiritual prisoners facing eternal death because of our sin, but God gave us all the ultimate hope by forgiving our sins so that we can spend our eternal lives in heaven with Him. 

When life seems to be impossible, God provides us with eternal hope.  Without hope, we would give up.  Hope only requires that we trust in the One who is able to give it to us…