Sunday Morning Message at Camp Ray of Hope September 16, 2007 written and delivered by Dale Marie Clark
As I sat at my computer Wednesday morning and began to write this message I was not sure what direction it would take. As I tried to bring my thoughts together I heard a familiar little chime that told me a new email message had arrived. I was not going to check it at first, thinking that I would get side tracked, but I decided to let go of that feeling – knowing that little miracles often come my way and perhaps this would be one of those times. Sure enough - the first line of the email was from the Book of Zechariah and it said: If you will be a prisoner of hope, God will restore back to you double everything that was stolen” (Zechariah 9:12).
My first thought was “prisoner of Hope” – that is an odd twist on Hope but as I read on it made sense. The message went on to ask: “Are you in an emotional prison today? You may not have thought about it that way, but if you are holding unforgiveness or bitterness towards someone who has wronged you… that is an emotional prison”. The Word of God promises that if you’ll step out of that prison and become a prisoner of hope, God will restore back to you double for your trouble! That means if someone does you wrong, instead of getting negative and bitter, your attitude could be, “They just did me a favor. They just qualified me for double.” That attitude will make you a prisoner of hope.”
I looked up some definitions of Hope: Hope is a source of success; Hope is for somebody or something that seems likely to bring relief; Hope is a feeling of trust; Hope is want, expectation or wish for something to happen or be true, especially something that seems possible or likely.
Does that mean that one cannot feel hopeful when they are in the depths of despair, emotional pain, loneliness, fear. When they are unable to envision a cure, find relief or feel trust?
I remember all those feelings following the deaths of my husband and son. I could not imagine my life or envision my future without them – say nothing of envision a happy future. Every morning when I woke up (when I was able to sleep) I immediately sunk into that space of mental anguish, loneliness and helplessness. This went on for weeks – perhaps months – it is hard to remember exactly. And then one morning I woke up, looked out the window and my first thoughts were “it is a beautiful day”. Now that lasted for about 10 seconds but those were the most hopeful 10 seconds I have ever experienced in my 59 years because almost simultaneously I realized there was hope after all. I knew at that moment that I would not have to feel this way every minute of every waking hour for the rest of my life, and with that hope I felt relief. I slowly began to trust I had a future. On that day I began moving forward – not a miraculous recovery - the path was still long and painful and LOTS of work – but I soon after started wishing – and hoping - for new life and expecting that something wonderful was possible and likely to happen.
My Wednesday morning message went on to say“When you’re a prisoner of hope, you simply can’t stop hoping. You are locked in! Locked into that attitude that says, “I will not be defeated. It may look impossible, but I know God can do the impossible. It may be taking a long time, but in due season I know I will reap if I just don’t give up.” Stand in that place of hope knowing that you will come out with twice the joy, and twice the peace!
A wooden star hangs from my kitchen mantle that says: Hope: Expectation of Good. That star reminds me daily of the importance of retaining Hope during stressful and busy times but more importantly of the Hope that carried me through some extreme trials and traumas – the Hope that led me to all of you.
