HOPE IN A GULAG
Aleksander Solzhenitsyn languished for years in a Soviet gulag (or work camp). After endless days of backbreaking labor and near-starvation, he gave up hope. Laying his shovel aside, he sat on a bench. He knew the punishment for sitting while working was death, but he was too weary to care. Any moment, he expected a guard to command him to return to work. When he refused, the guard would beat him to death with his shovel. He had witnessed it many times. Sensing a shadow hovering over him, he braced himself to die.
Instead, he saw an old man standing before him. Weary and weathered, without a word, the man drew a cross in the dust with a stick. Looking into his eyes, Solzhenitsyn understood. The cross represented everything of value in life—hope, joy, purpose, and salvation. Taking a deep breath, Aleksander nodded at the old man, pushed himself up from the bench, reached for his shovel, and returned to work. Following his release, Solzhenitsyn penned The Gulag Archipelago, a source of inspiration and knowledge in the Soviet resistance movement, which affected millions worldwide.
In 1 Peter, the great apostle composed a letter to persecuted believers with a message of hope. He begins by describing our salvation as “a living hope” (1:3), informing us that we have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1:4). He directs us to “set our hope on the grace to be brought to you” (1:4), and he challenges us to “be ready to give a reason for our hope” (3:15).
Through the centuries, the story of the cross has lifted the hearts of countless believers worldwide. Whether in Russia, Afghanistan, or America, we’re surrounded by foes attacking our faith—sometimes in subtle; sometimes in not-so-subtle ways. God assured this would happen (2 Timothy 3:12).
Like Solzhenitsyn, it’s easy to grow weary from the oppression we experience. But as our world grows darker, our hope shines brighter. And like the Soviet champion, we know the hope we have in Jesus is all that makes sense in our crazy world. As we lament the contemptible conditions around us, let’s focus on the cross, focus on Jesus, and focus on the hope we have in him. Because nothing else matters—whether in a cathedral, in a home or in a gulag.
Principle: The story of the cross offers hope to believers of every age.
Ponder:
In what specific situations does the cross offer hope for me?
How can I point others to the hope of the cross?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study 1 Peter 1.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross, and the life it offers. I embrace your cross as my only source of hope and salvation.”