DEATH ROW JOY

DEATH ROW JOY

Bible:1 Peter 1:3-9

Though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy (V.8).

Reading

In 1985 Anthony Ray Hinton was charged with the murders of two restaurant managers. It was a set up—he’d been miles away when the crimes happened— but he was found guilty and sentenced to death. At the trial, Ray forgave those who lied about him, adding that he still had peace even in the injustice. “After my death, I’m going to heaven,” he said. “Where are you going?” Life on death row was hard for Ray. Prison lights flickered whenever the electric chair was used for others, a grim reminder of what was waiting for him. Ray passed a lie detector test but the results were ignored, one of many injustices he faced getting his case reheard. Finally Ray’s conviction was overturned. He’d been on death row for nearly thirty years. His life is a powerful example of the difference God makes in impossibly hard times. Because of his trust in Jesus, Ray had a confidence that was able to see beyond what he was going through in the here and now (1 PETER 1:3-5). He even knew real joy and peace in his terrible (and painfully long) trial (V.8). “This joy that I have,” Ray said after his release, “they couldn’t ever take that away in prison.” He is a great example of what trusting Jesus in hard times looks like (VV.7-8). Joy on death row? That’s hard to fake. Stories like this are another proof to us that God exists, loves us, strengthens us and is with us even though we can’t see Him.

THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE PEACE IN HARD TIMES IS TO
PUT ALL OUR CONFIDENCE IN JESUS.

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries