A Hope Not Cut Off

You may be familiar with the line from C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, “Always winter but never Christmas”. Kyle Idleman reminded me of those words again recently as our Sunday School class viewed his video series, The Christmas Experience. Those words describe Narnia while under the curse of the White Witch.

They also describe hopelessness.

I don’t remember exactly when I took this photo, but I’m pretty sure it was winter. The photo appears cold and despairing. My imagination runs with thoughts of what might be behind those walls.

I imagine an elderly woman, slowly rocking behind the closed curtains of the turret’s upper room. She waits for a friend or family member to bring her groceries. Not much, just something to take the edge off her hunger. They’ve promised to visit often, but she’s sure they’ve forgotten again.

Or maybe a man has inherited his favorite uncle’s house. He trudges home from work at the end of a long shift each day, expecting his loved one to open the door. Instead, he turns the lock and heads to the kitchen alone.

I wonder if the house ever had a family running in and out, the screen door slamming shut twenty times a day. Did Mom yell as twin boys pounced down the front steps, two at a time, “Be back for dinner! We’re having your favorites!” Now it stands empty as they’ve moved into the city because Dad lost his job.

When I look at the photo, I think of those words, “Always winter but never Christmas”.

As you might have thought already, part of the photo’s dreary look is due to the sepia toning I applied when processing the photo. I’m pretty sure the day I stood outside this beautiful house, admiring the interesting architecture, things didn’t look nearly as bleak. If you were able to look past the post processing toning, you would see a bright sky, colorful siding, and a shiny roof—greater hope.

Our lives are often this way.

Bad things happen. Sickness, job loss, money problems, death. Each of those in their own right are tough. And, sometimes, they happen one right after the other, or even at the same time. You may feel like you’ve been sepia-toned. Life is miserable and hope lies far away and unreachable.

There is hope.

We can’t trust in our circumstances. Things change. We’re not in control. But God is in control. We can trust in Him and His Word. His Word tells us:

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18, NASB)

While you may walk in a sepia-toned world, it is only temporary. You can more than look forward to the trials and troubles ending in time. Even after that, God promises “there is a future!”

Our hope is eternal. It will not be cut off. There is certainty in God’s provision for us. I am certain we will be rejoicing forever if we just trust in God’s unwavering grace.

Can you do this in the middle of your situation? You can. Look past the sepia to Jesus.

I love the words to the hymn by Helen Lemmel.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the savior
And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

Have you found yourself relying on this or another song’s message? Tell us about it.