As you prepare to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday, I want you to reflect on the hope that God gave us through Jesus Christ. Jesus was, and still is, more than just a baby in a manager. Jesus is our Living Hope.

Hope Offers Peace Everlasting.

Without the birth of Jesus, we would have no hope for eternal life with Him.  

Can you imagine living without this hope? Can you imagine living without Jesus?

I’ve been reading a devotional on the bible app called, “14-Day Christmas Devotional” by Dale O’Shields. He describes hope in a way that I’ve never heard before, “it gives us strength for the present and an excitement for the future.” The excerpt below shows the vast differences between the hopeful and the hopeless.

“Hope can keep us going when everything else is falling apart. Hope is the expectation that even though life might be tough right now, somehow, at some time, everything will be fine. Hope comes from the recognition that our past failures are not fatal or final. It gives us strength for the present and an excitement for the future. Hope senses that the best is yet to come.”

He goes on to show the opposite side of hope by saying:

“Hopeless people feel like the sun has departed and will never return. They are caught in the grip of a nightmare that seems to never end. Hopeless people have little energy and no enthusiasm.”

Which category do you find yourself in today? Hopeful or hopeless?

Followers of Christ have hope that:

• One day, all pain and suffering will come to an end, and they’ll experience peace indescribable when they enter into their Father’s arms
• They will see their loved ones again (that were saved) in heaven
• Their struggles on earth are only temporary
• Whatever they are going through now, good or bad, has a purpose for God’s glory
• God is with them always and gives them their strength each day
• The best is yet to come

Without knowing Jesus, a person cannot experience the hope that you and I have today.

Without having hope, a person will never find true peace.

Without hope, life becomes meaningless and joy gets lost in the monotony of each day.

God gave you the gift of His Son, the gift of hope, to share with others. He is a gift that is ok to re-gift over and over again.

Jesus was, and still is, God’s gift to us.

As my pastor put it this morning, a gift is offered first and accepted second. You are the one that gets to choose if you want to accept the Gift God has given you. When you share the gift of Jesus with others, it is up to them if they accept it or not. You just keep sharing, keep showing His love, and keep holding on to the hope that God has blessed you with.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Share this with someone today!

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Luke 2:1-20

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place whileQuirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.