“But he saves the fatherless from their mouth,
the needy from the hand of the mighty.
So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts her mouth.” – Job 5:15-16
The first musical I remember watching as a child was Annie. I did not see it on the stage, but on the big screen. It was the 1982 movie starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, and Carol Burnett. I was thrilled to see a movie with music, dancing, and a good story that held my attention. Later, my parents bought a VHS copy ofAnnie. I am sure I wore it out.
Since that time, I have had the privilege of introducing my daughters to Annie. They love watching the girls in the orphanage give Miss Hannigan a hard time and their faces always light up when Punjab rescues Annie from certain danger.
Annie is a great musical and children almost always love it. However, the story of Annie is not just for children. There is a message within the plot that speaks to the heart of everyone. It is a story of hope.
The story of Annie uses music to move the audience from the hopeless “Hard-Knock Life” to a better time, beyond the present-day struggles, and reminds us all that “The sun will come out tomorrow.” Throughout the story, Annie encounters people working in difficult situations, living through trials, and doing all they can to move beyond their current circumstances. Annie opens the audience to the possibility of hope – the possibility that life can be different – that life can be more than what we currently see and know.
Hope is also the story of our faith. All through the Bible, God reminds us that He brings a new day, filled with new possibilities. God is active in our “Hard-Knock Life” and because of that, we have hope.
Thanks be to God!
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
