A Prisoner of Hope

Why not just give up?

There was nothing they could see that would make them want to keep going. It seemed to them that anything that was worth living for, or worth effort, was in the past. Now their experience was that they planted much, but harvested little. They ate, but never had enough to be satisfied. They would drink to forget, but they never could drink enough to fully block out the pain. They had clothes to wear, but the clothes didn't bring warmth. And though there was money, it was never enough. In fact, it seemed the bag they put it in had a hole in it. So they found themselves with their eyes cast down and their spirits broken. All they wanted to do was to quit.

They needed hope. They needed a vision so they they could see beyond what their physical eyes could see. So God sent His prophets with a message. The message sent from the Lord of Hosts was, "I am with you" (Haggai 1:13).

First of all, I want to pause and look at who this message was from. Who is the Lord of Hosts? "For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name" (Amos 4:13). Where can I find Him? "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3).

Ah, but it's so hard to see His glory if your heart is downcast and your eyes are on yourself. If you fill your mind with the depressing message that there is nothing left to live for, it can be hard to hear the voice of God when He says, "Be strong, all you people of the land,"--the Lord's declaration; "Work! For I am with you"--the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. "This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt, and My Spirit is present among you; don't be afraid" (Haggai 2:4).

As I sit here at the turning of the year, I feel within me the ancient struggle. To whom shall I listen? Which way shall I go? Do I let the heavy feelings of my heart dictate the day? Or do I choose to lift my eyes to the Lord of Hosts and let Him lift my heart? Depending on the choice I make, I will either be a prisoner of hope or a prisoner of despair.

As for me, I have my decision--I will heed the voice of the one who forms the mountains and created the wind and yet who has chosen to declare His thoughts to me through His prophets. I will return to my stronghold. I will go to the Rock of my salvation. I choose to trust His promises, and I choose to be a prisoner of hope.