One of my all time favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption is a heart-warming fantastic story of Andy Dufrense (played by Tim Robbins) who is imprisoned for murder. Although Andy is imprisoned behind physical bars, he does not let anyone imprison something that is in deeply rooted in him, this something that we learn only at the end of the movie, when his friend Red River (played by Morgan Freeman) reads a letter from him. After 19 years of imprisonment, Andy Dufrense escapes from prison. As the closing titles are ready to scroll, the movie ends with the words – Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. In fact, the tag line for this movie, The Shawshank Redemption reads, “Fear can hold you prisoner, Hope can set you free.”

Kevin Gallemore, Pastor of Worship & Arts at Cy-Fair Christian Church and a brother in Christ, who was visiting our Church from Houston shared a few words from his mission trip to India in October 2009. As he tried to summarize his India experience in a word, he said the word that came to his mind was ‘HOPE‘. He proceeded on to express a quote that  rang a deep note in me – “Hope where there shouldn’t be any Hope.” He further added, “Hope changes us!”

The heavy undercurrent deluging the minds of many who choose “suicide” as an end to their suffering is bondage to the lie that it is the only answer, and that there is no hope. We have Jesus Christ, who is the only living Hope that matters. But where is Jesus? Where is this Hope? The Scripture reveals to us that this Hope is in each one of us who have accepted Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Master. Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Only those who know Christ and who have believed in His name, have hope, and even death (state of sleep) can do nothing about it (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There are many out there who are still seeking an answer to the questions of life (and you may be one of them). They (you) are looking for hope (in situations) where there shouldn’t be any hope. The question they (you) ask is “Where can I find this Hope?“. The answer – in every fathful follower of Jesus Christ. Christ in us is the only Hope that we can point them to. Has this Christ (Hope) changed us so that we can boldly proclaim that there is no other hope, save in the name of Jesus Christ, for man to have eternal life as the output of a relationship with God.

Point(s) to ponder:

  1. Is there a fear that is holding you to be a prisoner? If so, what is it? If you have not yet met Jesus as Savior, you have every reason to anticipate His imminent return as Judge and King with morbid trepidation, but if you have. what are you afraid of? What is holding you from being the chalice of hope to those around us, who are seeking answers.
  2. Are you/I, the faithful servants and messengers of God who are taking Hope (Christ in us) to the world where hope is not found?
  3. Has Christ, our hope changed us, so that we are living according to His will and not our own?

Fear can hold you prisoner, Only Hope (Only Jesus) can make you free and the one whom the Son makes free, is free indeed (John 8:36). Remember, Hope (Jesus) is a good God and those who have their hope in the only true Hope (Jesus) cannot die.  Fear can hold you prisoner, Hope can set you free. Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Colossians 1:27-29 (KJV)
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.