Text: Luke 24:21 — “But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel…”
Have you ever opened a bag of chips, only to find that what yesterday was full-sized glorious crisps have now been reduced to a sad pile of salty rubble? You blindly feel for one full size treasure, but all you get is a pinchful of shards. It’s a universally disappointing snack experience. You reached in for greatness but greeted by gravel.
We are puzzled, we frantically scour the bag, but we are forced to settle for pieces. That minor moment of frustration taps into something much deeper and more human: the feeling of expecting something good—something whole—and instead receiving something broken.
Now imagine that hand mouth moment expanded out over your soul. That’s what the disciples felt in Luke 24, “But we had hoped…”
That line shouts grief. They had hoped Jesus would redeem Israel. That He would win, overturn Rome, restore glory. Instead? They got betrayal, crucifixion, and a sealed tomb. Their hope had been crushed to pieces.
We know this line too, don’t we? We had hoped the marriage would last. We had hoped the healing would come. We had hoped the opportunity wouldn’t fall through. We had hoped…
But here’s the twist: Their greatest loss at this moment became the foundation of their greatest hope. Resurrection happened—not in spite of disappointment—but through it. Why? Because God is with us and God is for us. For this reason God does not discard the crushed.
So the next time you find yourself staring into your life that looks nothing like you expected—pause and remember:
Reflection Question:
To what degree do you know crushed expectations? Is there possibly any chance that what feels broken is actually the beginning of something new?