By SAM BOODLE, For the Guardian

"He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. " [Luke 24:19b-21]

"All their hopes just died there in Cheyenne." These are the lyrics to a song playing on the radio. A rodeo star left home for Cheyenne. He was going to make an attempt to ride a bull. He did not have an opportunity to consult with his wife before leaving. Therefore, while on his way, he called to inform her. He said to her, "I will ride that bull and bring the prize money on home to you." However, she did not care about the bull, his pride or the prize money.

In desperation and disgust, she exclaimed, "I don't care if you never come back from Cheyenne!" Then she hung up the phone.

Late that night she received a telephone call with sad news from Cheyenne. The caller informed her that her husband had died while trying to ride the bull. The song continued, "They say she just went crazy. All their hopes just died there in Cheyenne."

The risen Jesus joined two of His disciples who were walking to Emmaus, a village a short distance from Jerusalem. They did not recognize Him. They were talking about the death of Jesus. He asked, "What are you talking about?" With sadness in their face, they were surprised the traveler did not know about the event which had taken place in Jerusalem.

They were sad because the one in whom they had so much hope, the one whom they expected to rescue Israel was gone from them. The authorities, the chief priests and rulers had destroyed Him and dashed their hopes.

These men had lost their hopes and dreams because they had placed their hopes in temporal, worldly things. They had not seen Jesus for whom He was. Many of the disciples saw Jesus as a secular leader, similar to Moses and David, someone who would rescue them from Roman imperialism.

The disciples had placed their hopes and dreams in the right person, but for the wrong reasons. We too, sometime place our hopes and dreams in Jesus for the wrong reasons. We look to Him to take care of our worldly needs. In so doing, we neglect to think about our spiritual needs.

We have disappointments when we place all of our hopes and dreams in worldly things and people. Things of the world fade away. Promises are usually broken or not kept.

Therefore, place your hopes in Jesus Christ. When you think that all is lost and there is no hope left, Jesus is standing by. He is there to help you, cheer you and take away your sorrow. When you fall along the way, He carries you. In times of trouble, He comforts you. He is always there, walking beside you.

He says, "Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world." Those two disciples did not know that their Savior was the one walking with them. He knew their sorrow and the tears which they had shed. He was there to take away that sorrow and to dry their tears. He was there to give them that confidence they needed to proclaim the gospel.

In whom do you place your hope? Unlike the woman whose dreams were shattered in Cheyenne, place our hopes in Jesus. He is the only one who really knows what happened on Good Friday and Easter. He is the only one who knows what you are going through and the only one who can really help.

*Rev. Samuel Boodle can be reached at The Lutheran Church of Nassau, P. O. Box N 4794, Nassau, Bahamas or telephone 323-4107.