Hope From Ashes

Read: Psalm 53; Leviticus 25:1-19; Revelation 19:9-10

The Spirit of Prophecy: A Message of Hope

One spring evening, my then six-year-old grandson, Ben, declared it was movie night! He always loves movie nights, but this one was extra special because he was the only grandchild with us that evening, which meant he got to choose the movie. And his pick? Power Rangers. So, my husband, his parents, and I spent the evening watching him enjoy every moment of it.

The next morning, Ben asked me, “Did you like the movie?”

I smiled and told him, “I loved watching you enjoy it.”

Then he asked, “Was it the sad part? You know, the part where her mother died?”

I nodded. “Well, Ben, some of my favorite stories have sad parts.”

He looked at me with his big brown eyes and said, “Like Jesus?”

That simple question carried so much truth.

We often think of prophecy as bad news—the fiery words of street preachers, the warnings from Old Testament prophets, or John on Patmos telling us to get our act together or be afraid… be very afraid.

But John, the same one exiled on Patmos, tells us that the spirit of prophecy is not about fear. It’s about Jesus. The gospel—the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ—is the true spirit of prophecy.

And that means prophecy isn’t doom and gloom. It’s a message of hope.

To the early believers who had given up everything—jobs, family, stability—to follow Jesus, John’s words were a reminder to hold on, to persevere. Emmanuel, God with us, was still with them in their struggles. And the sad parts of life? They never get the final word.

There’s a quote from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel that says:

“Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it is not yet the end.”

The best stories have sad parts because they remind us of a greater truth: With Jesus, sorrow is never the final chapter. From death comes life. From sadness, joy. From struggle, perseverance. From ashes, hope.

And with Jesus, everything will be all right in the end.
And if it’s not all right yet? Then it’s not the end.

Prayer:

Redeeming and Restoring God,
We live in an age filled with wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, fires, and storms. Every day, politicians, journalists, and social media shout at us to be afraid—be very afraid.

But you have called us to be a people of hope, not despair.

You promised to be with us—not just in the good times, but in the struggles too. Help us to persevere. Like Julian of Norwich once said, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

May we live as a people of grace and joy in the midst of division and strife. May we be a resilient people of hope, sharing the good news of Jesus with a lost and hurting world.

Amen.