I am a Prisoner of Hope

Hope.  Such a small word for such a powerful feeling.  When we have hope, we look forward to a future, usually a better one.  Hope is what drives us to find cures for disease.  Hope is what gets us up and moving in the morning.  Hope drives us.  Hope is what often comes to mind when we look at our children and the future of this world. Hope is what has saved many a person when they were in the darkest spot of their lives.  Hope believes in solutions. Hope brings direction and a vision for the future. Hope looks for the good. Hope is empowering. Hope brings joy.

And as powerful as Hope is, the loss of hope can be equally powerful.  When someone has lost hope, they no longer see a future that is better.  The loss of hope in a situation is the opening to a chasm that is a dark pit, void of goodness.  There cannot be true life without the possibility of a future (hope). Loss of hope lacks vision.  Hopelessness breeds weakness.  Hopelessness sees only the bad. Hopelessness brings nothing but sorrow.

I saw this quote, "I am a prisoner of hope," along with a reference point of Zechariah 9:12 on the internet this morning, and it struck me between the eyes.  The full verse is this:  "Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you."  NIV

Immediately my mind conjures pictures of what a prisoner is. When I picture a prisoner, I picture chains wrapped around hands and feet, someone who is bound, unable to remove themselves from the chains.  Someone firmly locked in place.  Someone locked in a impenetrable fortress. Now, that can be a hopeless image until you picture those binding chains as chains of hope, firmly locked in place around arms, hands, legs and feet.  Completely encapsulated in a fortress that is made of the impenetrable stones of hope.  Wow!  What an image.

And that is what I want to be.  I want to be a prisoner of hope.  I want to wrap myself up in hope so tight that even in the darkest places, I still have a vision for the future.

So, that leads me to my next question.  Where do I get that hope from?  For me?  I get my hope from God.  This scripture says it best:

"God, the one and only--I'll wait as long as he says.  Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?  He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle:  I am set for life."  Psalm 62:5-6

And here's the key question that many ask me.  Why?  Why do I say I get my hope from God.  Why is He my source?  Now I could get all theological on you here, or quote some more scripture, or even just say that dreaded word "Because."  But I'm not sure that any of that would truly answer the question.  And I admit, as I type this, it's hard for me to verbalize my why, but I'm going to try.

Let's start with the obvious-- I believe in God.  And there are many reasons for that, but this blog is about hope.  Although I will track off point to say this-- I am a person who likes there to be concrete answers to things--I like science and discovery and that sort of stuff. And yet,  I cannot look at all the detail that nature has to offer, all the complexities, all the nuances to be found in nature, and believe that it is a random event.   For me, God had to be the creator of this world.  And that ties in with why I have hope in God.  Look at what he created.  The fact that all species can recreate life in the form of offspring is a study in hope.  Hope for a future for each species.  For me God embodies the essence of hope.    Hope that there is one who loves me beyond comprehension.  Hope that there is one who looks out for me.  Hope that I can become a better person.  Hope that there is a meaning and purpose to my life.  Hope that there is goodness in this world. Hope that there is something better ahead.  God offers all of that and more.

I am not sure that I am knowledgeable enough, or eloquent enough to fully verbalize my hope and it's source.  But maybe, I said enough that you at least understand what I was trying to say, in my stumbling, bumbling way.

So, my challenge for myself and to you is to become prisoners of hope.  To wrap hope so tightly around myself that I am forever bound to it.  That I find, in every situation, a vision of hope that I can cling to. I can say this, I would rather live full of hope than full of hopelessness!  Have a great day!

I'll leave you with a few photos from a fortress in Puerto Rico.