Hope in the Lord at the Communion Table
Chris Norton’s story of recovery after a devastating spinal cord injury reminds us that hope can take root even in the darkest moments. Isaiah 40:31 and Ephesians 1:7 point us to the Lord’s renewing strength and Christ’s redeeming grace. As we come to Communion, we remember the unbreakable hope offered through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
- Hope can begin with small signs of God’s sustaining strength.
- God renews weary hearts and offers redemption through Christ.
- Communion calls us to remember and live out God’s will with enduring hope.
By Quentin Davis
A Story of Hope After Tragedy
On October 16, 2010, Chris Norton, a football player for Luther College, mistimed a tackle during a game and collapsed on the field with a broken neck. He was airlifted to the hospital, where doctors gave him less than a three percent chance of ever walking again.
Chris later shared that in those dark moments, he was terrified, wondering what kind of life lay ahead. But through fervent prayer and an unyielding determination to reclaim his mobility, he discovered just days later that he could twitch his legs—a small but profound sign of hope.
Refusing to let his circumstances define him, Chris resolved to graduate from college and embrace a life of purpose. His hope wasn’t rooted in his physical abilities alone, but in his identity as a beloved child of God, worthy of a future filled with meaning. Along the way, he connected online with a woman who would become his closest companion; they fell in love, grew inseparable, and eventually married.
On his graduation day, in a moment of triumph, Chris—escorted by his wife—walked across the stage to receive his diploma. A video capturing this inspiring scene has been viewed over 300 million times, and undoubtedly even more by now. In the aftermath, Chris received more than 10,000 messages from people battling cancer, depression, anxiety, and all manner of suffering, urging him onward and drawing strength from his story.
Inspired to give back, Chris founded the SCI CAN Foundation, which raises funds to provide essential equipment to hospitals and rehabilitation centers for others facing spinal cord injuries. Today, he travels the country as a motivational speaker, addressing corporations, conventions, schools, churches, and various groups.
His core message is straightforward and profound—it’s also the title of his book: The Power of Faith When Tragedy Strikes.
Hope in the Lord and Redemption in Christ
This echoes the timeless promise in Isaiah 40:31 (New International Version):
“But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”
Such restoration and hope carry a redemptive power, as described in Ephesians 1:7: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
As We Come to the Table
As we approach this table of Communion, let us remember that through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, we are offered unbreakable hope and the strength to live out God’s will in our own lives. Quentin Davis is a financial planner with WealthWise Financial Group and the associate minister at New Burlington Church of Christ in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Author: Quentin Davis
Quentin Davis is a financial planner with WealthWise Financial Group and the associate minister at New Burlington Church of Christ in Cincinnati, Ohio.
