My favorite thing about Christmas is the hope it brings.
Hope for the tired momma.
Hope for the hurting heart.
Hope for the weak soul.
Honestly, hope for any hot mess.
Christmas offers the gift of hope.
I am not suggesting a powerless hope. In our culture, the word ‘hope’ is often used for the word ‘wish’. A wish is weak. A wish possesses only the strength of the wisher’s desire.
But. Hope.
The hope, I know, is the confident expectation of what God has promised. This hope is a strength found in God’s faithfulness and His power, not ours. It is the hope birthed in a manager nearly two thousand years ago.
“The Scriptures say, “There is born to you this day … a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Heaven and Earth joined together! God and mankind reconciled. Hope for the hopeless, pardon for the guilty, forgiveness for the conscience-stricken, peace for those who knew no peace, Good News for those who have had nothing but bad news!” (Graham, Billy. Billy Graham’s Message: Christmas – a Time of Renewed Hope billy graham.org 25 Nov 2015 accessed 16 Dec 2019)
My Friend, His hope is the only hope, for your hot mess.
No matter what darkness you are facing today, no matter what hell you are living, know that God came to this earth to offer you hope. Hope given because He came as a baby, lived as a man, died as your Savior. When life is hard, and you wonder if you are loved, remember, He proved His love on the cross. He gives the gift of heaven. This is our hope.
“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future it expects it to happen.” (Piper, John. What is Hope? desiring god.org 6 April 1986 accessed 19 Dec 2019) God gives a powerful hope. This is very different from a world’s wish. The hope that God offers is learning to forgive yourself like Christ forgave you. Hope of God gives new beginnings, fresh starts, and changed lives. His hope is of a common person taking on an uncommon assignment to change their world. Hope is life after death. This is the hope of Christmas. This morning as I watch the lights on my tree, I am filled with hope. It is a hope for the taking. God has offered it to you and me.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NLT)
Have a Hope-filled Holiday and Merry CHRISTmas Friends!
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