Hope

In one of Lee Strobel’s weekly emails, which are entitled “Investigating Faith,” he tells about an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam who was promised he would be released if he cooperated with the enemy—and who died when that hope was crushed. The man died from a lack of hope.

I’m not a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but I have long thought that people commit suicide because they lose hope. In my younger days, before I knew Christ, I contemplated suicide because the world seemed like a hopeless place, a place where I would simply live my life and then cease to exist, as if I had never been.[1]

Jesus Christ offers us a way out of hopelessness. He offers us abundant life now[2] and eternal life when this life is over.[3] All we need to do is place our faith in Jesus. Last year I explained what this “faith” involves. You can read it here.

This Christmas season I pray that you have the hope that Christ provides, or if not, that you find that hope in Christ. No one should live without hope. And no one has to.

Merry Christmas.

[1]. You can read about my faith journey here and here.

[2]. John 10:10

[3]. Mark 10:28-30