Illness does make us feel like we are in a prison at times, but have you ever considered that you may reside in a prison. . . of hope? Kerryn explains.
“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you” (Zechariah 9:12).
I’m currently watching an Australian TV show called: “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!” It’s a group of celebrities plucked from their normal lives. Suddenly they have greatly reduced living situations, essentially being prisoners in the jungle with meager rations. I’ve realized it parallels life with illnesses.
The parallels include:
- living away from all of their family
- eating food that is not of their choice and more meager amounts
- being stuck in one place and not being able to leave
- rationing of showers and less privacy
- reduced energy has them lying on their beds resting
- having little to do each day except the effort of caring for themselves
- using initiative to cope with their difficult situation
What keeps them going is that they are “prisoners of hope.” They constantly think about what they have outside the jungle that they can return to.
Likewise, I have hope, but my hope is in God, who is the only One who doesn’t let me down. That sort of hope isn’t a prison, in a negative sense. It’s a buffer protecting me from the harshness of the outside world. Here is a fortress that keeps me safe, protecting my heart. It keeps me with a Pollyanna type of hope in God, who is all-knowing and all-seeing and who loves me beyond what I could hope for.
My word for 2016 is “restore.” I hope and believe that God “will restore twice as much to” me! If not in this life, it will definitely be in the next–in heaven!
So, let’s return to our “fortress, you prisoners of hope” for God’s loving care of our hearts and souls.
Prayer: Lord, sometimes we feel like we’re prisoners, stuck in a body that doesn’t work properly. Help us to be “prisoners of hope,” showing those around us that God is a God of hope, no matter how tough our circumstances are. Amen.
About the Author:
Kerryn Wright was living with her family among the gum trees in South Australia. Currently she’s living with a friend while they sell their family home. She was a special education teacher prior to chronic illnesses. Her husband is carer for three of their family, who have chronic illnesses and disabilities. God has always guided them through life’s challenges, often in surprising ways.
In what ways are you a “prisoner of hope” to those around you? How does the word “restore” resonate with you
Chronic Illness Pain Daily Devotionals 