WHEN YOUR HOPE IS GONE
- Andy Hollifield
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”—Proverbs 13:12 KJV
In Luke 24, we find one of the saddest pictures in the bible. Cleophas and an acquaintance were heavy-hearted as they returned home from Jerusalem to Emmaus, about seven and a half miles away. They began talking about the events of that week in Jerusalem. They were soon joined by a stranger who, unbeknownst to them, was Jesus. As he asked them what they were discussing, they gave him a rundown of the week.
In verse 21, they tell the stranger they had trusted that Jesus would be Israel’s redeemer. Then, they explain that it had been three days since the crucifixion. Jesus told his followers before his death that he would raise the Tabernacle in three days. Now, their hope was lost. Not only was their redeemer gone, but so was all Israel’s hope.
Witnesses at the Tomb and Jesus' Fulfillment of Prophecy
They continued with the account of the women at the tomb seeing the angels and being told Jesus was alive. They even told him about Peter and John racing to the tomb only to find it empty and Jesus nowhere to be found. In verse 25, Jesus admonishes people for not believing what the prophets had written and said about him. He then began expounding all the prophecies from Moses throughout all the scriptures written about him.
As they approached their home, Jesus acted like he was going on a little further. They begged him to stay with them since it was getting late. While in their home, they sat down to supper. As he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened, and they figured out who he was, and then he vanished.
Rekindled Hearts: The Journey Back to Jerusalem
This couple began remembering how their hearts burned as Jesus went through the scriptures. They immediately returned to Jerusalem, even though it was probably already evening and close to dark. They found the disciples and other followers of Jesus gathered, discussing Christ’s appearance with Peter.
While they told their experience to those gathered, Jesus appeared in the midst. Even though they knew he’d risen, they were still scared and thought they saw a spirit. Jesus first showed them his wounds, but they still wondered about it. He still had to convince them it was him in the flesh and not a spirit by eating fish and honeycomb. As Jesus ate, he reminded them of the scriptures written about him by the prophets. He opened their understanding so they could comprehend the meaning of the scriptures. Then he began to explain they were witnesses of all that both he and the prophets had spoken. After Jesus blessed them, they worshipped him with great joy.
From Despair to Jubilation: Finding Hope in Jesus
I went over this whole story to illustrate that with Jesus, there’s always hope. Things aren’t always what they seem. These folks had spent over a week seeing their greatest fears be realized when Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified. Many had devoted their lives to Jesus over his three-plus years of ministry. They were now disillusioned at best and distraught or worse. Their hope had died on that cross. For the last ten days, their situation had gone from bad to worse with the arrest and trials to completely hopeless with his crucifixion. Now, they couldn’t believe their eyes! What, only moments before, had been heartbreaking and hopeless had now become total jubilation.
You may’ve reached a place where your hope is gone. Common sense tells you your situation is beyond hope. Effort and rational thought have proven there’s no help for it. Your heart and mind want to hope and believe, but your circumstances say it’s useless. You’ve reached the same place these folks had. I hope this has helped you realize that with Jesus, there’s never a time when your hope is gone. “For with God, nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37, KJV).
Your turn: Have you ever struggled with hopelessness and doubt? How did you recover if you’ve ever reached a place in your life when your hope was gone?
Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for dying on the cross for me and creating the ability to live a restored life through you. Please renew my mind when I struggle with despair, discouragement, and doubt. Amen.
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