Christ, Our Hope - Your Nightly Prayer - December 9th
Christ, Our Hope
Your Nightly Prayer
By: Greg Grandchamp
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Despite all the hype and commercialism. Despite the busyness of the weeks and demands on our time. During the Christmas season, what we celebrate is the birth of our hope. What we celebrate is the birth of our promise of salvation. We celebrate the coming of a renewed relationship with our Creator.
Jesus is our hope – our only hope – for eternal life with Him. He is the light breaking into a dark world – showing us the promise and the hope available to each of us. He is the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise in Isaiah and throughout the Old Testament:
"Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel." -Isaiah 7:14
Immanuel – God with us.
It is easy for us to look back now as our sight can be 20-20. But imagine the shepherds in the field near Bethlehem. The Jews had been waiting patiently for the coming Messiah – a source of expectation, excitement, and hope. Jewish families celebrate the birth of every firstborn male child. And here it came - announced to poor shepherds, the discards of society.
Certainly, nothing extraordinary about the night, until an angel appeared to them:
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” - Luke 2:9-12
If that wasn’t excitement enough, the angel was joined by a company of heavenly hosts, praising God. (v. 13)
We can take hope in celebrating that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s plan, rather miraculously woven through all of time. We can celebrate as we realize that God’s promises do not fall short, even if we don’t always recognize them or see them firsthand. And we can then watch, as the Jews did, for His hand in our own lives – knowing He is faithful.
The message of hope that Christmas represents is one that has been written about and sung about throughout generations. It is a message that helps heal broken hearts. It brings peace to anxious souls. It brings a reminder that hope is not something we need to strive for – to earn or chase after. It is a gift of love and mercy and grace from our heavenly Father.
This hope brings us comfort and peace, even during difficult times, because we know His hope is not momentary or temporary – it is eternal.
Our hope and our peace remain eternally anchored, overflowing in Christ Jesus and in His Holy Spirit within us. Let each of us let His light and his blessings shine into our hearts this season. And let us share that light and those blessings with the world around us.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Glorious Father in heaven,
Thank you for the incredible hope you have given us in the person of your son, Jesus. Thank you, that we can celebrate the day of His birth. Forgive me, Father, that sometimes I let myself get so wrapped up in the busyness of the season that I forget the mercy and grace this season celebrates – and the eternal hope you have given us. Let it overflow within me, Father.
It is in the holy, precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. When you start to find yourself getting a bit overwhelmed with your “to-do” list, turn back to the Lord. Remember, He is where you will find rest for your weary soul. (Psalm 62:5)
2. As we take on more and more during the season, let us remember that Jesus’ Holy Spirit remains in our hearts. Because of that, we can let our hope and our peace overflow. (Romans 15:13)
3. Let’s keep the first thing the first thing – and keep our eyes focused on what it is we celebrate. You can let Jesus be your peace in the middle of the storm. (Mark 4:39)
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©UnsplashAnnie Spratt
Greg doesn’t pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the perspective of an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else – in pursuit of truth.
Greg can be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp - Author.
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