Prisoners of Hope

DAY THREE: Friday, October 17, 2008



Please read Zechariah chapter nine before reading the rest of this blog entry.





"Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles." Zechariah 9:12 (NLT)



How could two young, middle class American women in Afghanistan serving the poor, survive imprisonment by the Taliban during the height of tensions after September 11, 2001? Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer have only one explanation: hope! "We believed God could do the impossible." (Page 234, Prisoners of Hope)


In their personal account of the ordeal they describe how God led them to minister to the women and children of one of the poorest nations on earth before they were accused of the crime of sharing their faith in Christ and subsequently imprisoned. Though tempted to despair, they consistently worshipped and hoped in God's Word!


Zechariah chapter nine also speaks about prisoner of hope. The Jews, recently back from Babylonian Captivity, were discouraged that the work of rebuilding God's house wasn't possible given their meager supplies and difficult circumstances. Overcome with feelings of insecurity, they lost hope.


Through Zechariah, God was encouraging them to be prisoners of hope, rather than prisoners of fear, insecurity, self-doubt, and shame.


Action Step for Today: Jot down one big problem that has imprisoned you with feelings of inadequacy:


Now, exchange being a prisoner to inadequacy to being a prisoner of hope by trusting in God's promises to you.