Death Row Joy 死囚的喜乐

[Dexu Xia]

Death Row Joy

Though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:8

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 joy despite this 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 lay ahead. Ray passed a lie detector test but the results were ignored, one of many injustices he faced getting his case reheard.

Finally, on Good Friday 2015, Ray’s conviction was overturned by the US Supreme Court. He’d been on death row for nearly thirty years. His life is a testament to the reality of God. Because of his faith in Jesus, Ray had a hope beyond his trials (1 Peter 1:3–5) and experienced supernatural joy in the face of injustice (v. 8). “This joy that I have,” Ray said after his release, “they couldn’t ever take that away in prison.” Such joy proved his faith to be genuine (vv. 7–8).

Death row joy? That’s hard to fabricate. It points us to a God who exists even though He’s unseen and who’s ready to sustain us in our own ordeals.

Reflect on others who’ve experienced God’s joy in their ordeals. What have been the qualities of their faith? How can you bring God’s joy to someone facing injustice right now?

God of all hope, fill us with Your joy and peace as we trust in You despite our circumstances. We love You! 

死囚的喜乐

如今虽不得看见，却因信祂就有说不出来、满有荣光的大喜乐。彼得前书1章8节

在1985年，安东尼 · 辛顿（Anthony Ray Hinton）被控谋杀两位餐厅经理。虽然当时他正在离案发现场好几公里以外的地方，但他被人设局陷害，最后被定罪并判处死刑。在审讯的过程中，他原谅了那些谎称他是凶手的人，还说尽管审讯是如此不公义，他仍感到喜乐。他对这些诬告他的人说﹕“我死后会去天堂，你们会去哪里呢？”

辛顿在监狱的生活十分难熬，每当有死囚坐上电椅处决时，监狱的灯就会闪烁，提醒他未来也会面对死刑。他努力上诉，要求案件重审，却面对多次不公平的审讯，包括他通过测谎仪的测试，但测试结果却无人理会。

最后，在2015年的耶稣受难日，美国最高法院推翻辛顿被定罪的裁决，那时他已被关在监狱将近三十年。他的生命见证了上帝的真实，他因信靠耶稣而在试炼中有盼望（彼得前书1章3-5节），在面临不公义的遭遇时，经历非比寻常的喜乐（8节）。辛顿获释后说：“即便被关在狱中，我所拥有的喜乐，是无人能夺去的。”这种喜乐证明他有真实的信心（7-8节）。

死囚的喜乐？这是很难伪装的。这样的喜乐证实了有一位我们看不见但却真实存在的上帝，随时愿意在我们面临试炼痛苦时扶持我们。

赐人盼望的上帝，求祢让我们在任何情况都能信靠祢，满有从祢而来的喜乐和平安。我们爱祢！

有些人能在苦难中经历上帝的喜乐，这是何种信心呢？你如何把上帝的喜乐带给正面对不公平待遇的人呢？