The countdown to Christmas is on. I have been trying to write about Christmas for a couple of weeks now, and honestly, I’ve struggled with it. Christmas and it’s grand story is too big to fit into one post properly; it’s too important and reverent to be sappy with it’s narrative; and there are too many misconceptions and false-truths to be careless with it’s account. So I decided to write 12 short posts, one for each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas. You’re not going to find turtle doves nor a partridge in a pear tree, but you might just find something more valuable. Follow along?
12th Day of Christmas – Hope
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but there isn’t much good news in the world these days. If you spend any time listening to all the negative, bad news it can feel quite heavy. The gloomy, weary world could use some good news.
Here it is:
Jesus is the hope we’re all looking for.
Hope as defined in the Bible Dictionary app “is a confidence in a future event, the highest degree of well-founded expectation of good, as founded on God’s gracious promises.”
Good things. Confident expectation founded on something other than the false, empty promises of the world.
Hope. It’s not too good to be true. Listen to this good news announcement:
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings (news) of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…….And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” Luke 2:8-14
Good news. Great joy. To all the people. Peace. Good will toward men. All of this from God to you and me, to all people.
Good news in a world full of bad news. Good will toward men in a world filled with hatred toward others. In this modern world full of everything – except good news and hope – isn’t that what we’re all searching for? That’s what I was desperately seeking 16 years ago – peace, joy, good news. Earnestly searching, in all the wrong places, for that something or someone to lift off the burden of guilt that weighed me down.
“..that at that time you were without Christ, being …..strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Eph. 2: 12
Jesus is our hope. Yours and mine. And He calls to us,
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30
He is:
“….God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.” 1 Tim. 1:1
How is Jesus our hope? Come back tomorrow and we’ll learn more together.
Until then, peace be with you.
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7
The Light for My Path 
I love this Stephanie! Please keep these coming, your post are a constant reminder to keep having hope, faith, and most important of all we NEED Jesus!! I am trying to read my bible everyday, however I struggle with what verses or chapters to read. I randomly pick one and read.
Any suggestions would be helpful as to how you read your bible and understand what message it is giving would be awesome.
Thanks 😊
LikeLike
Hi Roslyn! Thank you so much for stopping by and reading! That is so great that you read your Bible most everyday, keep reading. These 12 posts will have lots of verses to help understand who Jesus is. I’d encourage you to not just read them in the post, but read them in your Bible. And as you find them in your Bible, read the verses/paragraphs before and after for context and greater understanding. That will be a good beginning 🙂
I’d also recommend beginning with the book of Matthew or Luke, reading it through from the first chapter to the end.
And I always begin my reading with prayer, asking the Lord to open my eyes that I would see wonderous things in His Word. (Ps. 119:18)
I hope this is helpful!
LikeLike