
Prisoner of Hope
Yesterday at the church I attended, the assistant rector spoke on a passage in Zechariah 9.
The passage talks about being a prisoner of Hope. Hope stems from grief, and those with hope are the ones wild enough to believe that good can come from present darkness.
He linked it to the other passage we read from Matthew 11.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
He explained that when we come to Jesus, we are yoked. He does burden us — he promises a light burden — but a burden nonetheless. And, maybe just maybe, that burden is hope.
Sometimes I feel like the only reason I’m still a christian is because I am a prisoner of Hope. No matter how much I try to escape, I cannot. I do not stay fully by choice. Don’t get me wrong, I totally first chose God. But, I don’t always choose him every day. And I have tried time and time again to make a different choice.
When I go to church these days, when I pray, when I read my Bible… it’s sometimes out of that obligation I just cannot shake, but a lot of times it is because I feel God inching me closer. Nudging me back. And, I cannot help but answer that call.
He has put His yoke on me. He has set me as a seal on His heart. And He promises that nothing can separate me from His love. I am a prisoner to His Hope.
And, maybe, I’m just wild enough to find peace and comfort under His yoke.
