Zechariah 9:12 “Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.”
The NIV seems very poetic – prisoners of hope – but the Japanese seems a bit easier to understand – prisoners who have hope. When we let go of our hope, everything tends to collapse. An optimist and a pessimist might go through life with exactly the same events, but the optimist will enjoy it far more! Hope is an inescapable component of faith, and it can be just about as hard to define. However, we all know it when we have it! It’s not quite the same thing as desire, though linguistically, in both English and Japanese, the line between them is very blurry. It is distinct enough that Paul mentioned both in his short list of enduring virtues: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13) The KJV renders that as “charity,” perhaps to distinguish agape from phileo and the like, but faith and hope haven’t changed over the centuries. What God is saying through Zechariah is that He is in the business of restoration. The devil is out to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10:10) but God’s got all that covered. Even death isn’t final in His book! Hope that is founded on faith in God by His Word is luminous, and marvelously attractive. Yesterday I spoke of how we are to be carriers of God’s light, and this is what it’s all about. This is what Peter was talking about when he said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) The devil does all he can to rob us of faith, hope, and love, but we can choose to cling stubbornly to God. If we do, we will be rewarded.
Wow! This puts words to what I’ve been going through in my 36 years of ministry in Omura. I haven’t seen the level of fruit that I have desired, certainly, but God has enabled me to remain faithful. Recently the devil’s really been attacking the hope aspect, but I’ve just been given a renewal! However dark things might seem to my human understanding, by faith I can know that the way ahead is bright indeed. I am not to put down those who cannot yet see that bright future, but rather speak truth to them in love. I cannot change their hearts, but God can use the words He has me speak to do so. I am to model faith, hope, and love at all times, so that the devil’s lies may be defeated in many hearts and lives, for the glory of God.
Father, thank You so much for this Word this morning. Thank You for getting us through the City Christmas yesterday so successfully. Thank You that all the equipment worked well! Thank You that all the human relationships are in Your hands as well. Thank You for the things You have for me to do today. Help me do each one in Your strength and wisdom on Your schedule, so that Your plans may be fulfilled for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!
Virtual Vitamins 
Thank you, Jack. I agree with you about the word “choice”. I struggle with the Lutheran teaching that there is no choice on our part, but that God chose us. If I read the scriptures correctly, the first action to be “in Christ” is to come to a place of repentance from the sin which we have had revealed to us by the grace and kindness of God. The choice is right at that place – to go with God or to go our own way. The second choice is to continue with that choice having turned in repentance to go God’s way by living according to scriptural truth by relying on the infilling Holy Spirit. As you know, Lutherans teach that baptism is the first step. I’ve rejected that as having in general no power in itself to reframe a person’s life, even with the necessary “confirmation” of one’s faith at an age of understanding. That usually has meant the exit from church life and fellowship as experienced by the huge majority of confirmees as they are never seen again in that particular church until their marriage and subsequent baptisms of their children. How can a babe in arms have “faith” in Jesus and receive Him as their own, as taught by our pastors? I had to struggle strongly with the concept of following Jesus as my Saviour before I decided to agree with God. How can it be otherwise? That was a journey which we must surely all have to make in some way.
Chris Przibilla, Gawler, South Australia
Thank you, Chris, for your input. God uses all our experiences to bless others, drawing them to Himself even as He draws us closer. It has been a huge blessing to be connected to you and Dennis all these years. Merry Christmas!