Hope

Jesus is our great Hope. That is the Christmas story in a nutshell. In Jesus, we have significance, security, acceptance, and forgiveness. In Jesus, we are empowered by his Spirit to show the world how the glory of the Lord shines through our lives. 

Hope doesn’t just happen. It is brought about by spiritual discipline and growth. When your children speak at your funeral, I bet they won’t mention the expensive Christmas gifts. Let’s aspire for their focus to be on the gift of Jesus that you allowed them to see in you up close and personal. 

The new covenant came with a great price. God didn’t ignore sin or sweep it under the rug. He met sin head-on by sending his Son as our substitute to pay sin’s penalty (Isaiah 53:4-6). Jesus said that the new covenant would be instituted through the shedding of his blood on the cross (Matt. 26:27-28; Luke 22:20). In Jesus, there is forgiveness. He is our great Hope!

It is Jesus alone that brings life to our souls and our minds. Read his Word. Listen to the hope that he brings. When our focus is on our newsfeed instead of Jesus, we will become weary of life.

Leaders should inspire and encourage us about a better tomorrow. They must provide vision and hope—confidence in where we are heading. “The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted. It belongs to the brave,” said Ronald Reagan running for president during a time of national malaise.

Whether in marriage or parenting, whether in the workplace or in relationships with friends, the believer is committed to a higher standard. People of integrity always keep their word. 

People can place their hope in a lot of things. But when hopes are attached to the wrong things, our expectations perish. Not so with God-given hope of joy. Based on the finished work of Christ, it will carry us into eternity. When the hope of Jesus is in us, our joy is complete! (John 15:11 NIV)

When the night is the darkest; when discouragement hangs over your soul like a thick fog; when getting out of bed becomes the hardest part of your day; when your lips can’t smile; when the smallest chore takes all the energy you have, the Spirit is there praying for you at a depth beyond human words.

We were saved ultimately for this great hope. In the meantime, we live obediently and wait patiently.