Finding Hope in Jesus Christ: From Earthly Hell to Heaven’s Promise

Some people experience hell on earth. Many years ago I met Willy for the first time. He was evangelizing on the street during the day time and handing out food-parcels to people sleeping rough at night. His testimony was simple: “Because I knew evil and my life was a hell, I believed that there had to be a heaven and a good God somewhere. I sought Him and I found Him!”

Witnesses of Faith in Moldova

I was reminded about this when I once again met some prisoners serving life-sentences in Moldova. One of them, Vlad, became an adherent of The Salvation Army, and he gave me a painting, that made me think about Willy’s testimony. Vlad sought God and through Jesus Christ he found Him when he was in ‘hell’. Many of his mates have done the same. Someone cared, and someone cares.

Vlad knows where he lives, and that is not ‘hell’ even though the condition around him has not changed. Vlad lives in Christ. Last week I wrote that care influences God’s NOW.

Hope for Transformation

Many good people, also inside the system, are working to better the conditions for prisoners in the country. There is even hope that there will be amendments of the law, so that prisoners serving lifetime-sentences can be released before God takes them to heaven. And we pray and hope together with them.

Key Figures and Their Journeys

• Willy: Evangelized on the street and found God after experiencing a life he described as "hell."
• Vlad: A prisoner in Moldova who became an adherent of The Salvation Army and found Christ while serving a life-sentence.
• Prisoners' Mates: Fellow inmates who have also sought and found God in difficult conditions.

The Spiritual Foundation of Hope

When I post this, it is with the hope that you who are going through a difficult time – maybe you even call it ‘hell’, shall know that there is always hope in Jesus Christ. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:24-26. ‘Manna’ for today: There is hope!