What a wonderful time of year it is! It is a time that we get to celebrate and reflect on the birth of our Lord and Savior. Although there are a lot of fun things to look forward to, it can also be filled with distractions and events that draw our eyes and hearts away from the true reason for the season. You may be distracted because of a hard season you are going through or by simply looking around at our world asking yourself, “What is there to hope in?”.
The Apostle Paul states in Romans 8:24-25 “For we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we have hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
What is this hope that Paul is speaking of? In the beginning of Romans chapter 8, the Apostle Paul is speaking to the Romans and telling them that because of Jesus Christ, we are free from condemnation, we do not need to fall back into the bondage of fear, we are joint heirs with Christ, and that the trials and tribulations of this life are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us. Our hope is in Christ Jesus. The Lord God came humbly down in flesh, to live a perfect, sinless life among his creation, die a death that we deserved, and rose three days later so that we may have Eternal Life with him. As believers this is what our hope is in.
Paul also states in Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith in to this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
No matter what this Christmas season looks like for you and no matter what our world is like right now, we are to glory in our tribulations that produces patience, then experience, and experience hope. Our Lord and Savior paid it all for us at the cross and that is why we continue to move forward. Hope is an expectation or a feeling of trust and we can move forward knowing that God is trustworthy and know that He works all things together for our good and His purpose.
So, in the midst of not only this Christmas season, but every day, I encourage you to be prepared to answer why you have hope when all seems lost. My prayer is that we be bold enough to respond to the call the Apostle Peter gives as well.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Lord, I pray over our hearts this Christmas season, I pray that our hope is in you and you alone. Not the gatherings we attend, or the gifts we give but your birth and the free gift that you gave us at the cross. Let us not lose hope in our trials and tribulations but let us count them all as joy. Lord, give us an opportunity to be able to share the reason for our hope, and that hope is in you. Thank you, Lord, for who you are and all that you are. In Jesus name, Amen.
Comentarios