Do you remember the Sears Wishbook that came in the mail at Christmas? A catalogue of toys as thick as my Bible. My brothers and I would sit down with it and earmark every page that had a toy we wanted. We hoped Santa would bring us all the toys we circled and labeled. It was fun to dream and hope.
In life, we also have hopes. We started the year hoping we’d find our Mr. or Mrs. Right. We started the year hoping we find a cure for our prolonged illness. We started the year hoping to become financially stable. We started the year hoping to create a more solid marriage. But as the months have rolled on, our hope has turned into hopelessness.
So, what is hope? It’s a joyful expectation for the future. It’s the idea that something better is just around the corner. Hope moves us forward in life. Hope gives us strength and energy. Hope helps us breath during difficult moments.
All through God’s Word, He reminds us there is hope. God consistently points toward the Messiah. Over 300 times in our Old Testament, prophets and kings point forward to a Messiah. In the New Testament, Messiah is translated “Christ”. Both words mean “anointed one, deliverer, Savior”.
This holiday season is a reminder that God has sent us hope. That all along, God has had a plan for our lives. As tough is your situation is in life, as difficult the conversation will be, as anxious as the evening news makes you feel, God has a plan. And that plan has been to send his son, whom we celebrate during the Christmas season.
But the Messiah is also a person and his Name is Jesus the Christ. He’s the Son of God who came to this earth some 2000 years ago. He was foretold in Isaiah 9:6, some 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophet says, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The Messiah is also a presence. The prophet Isaiah says in 7:14 that his Name will be Immanuel which means “God is with us”. Every single day, whether it is a victory or defeat, whether light or dark, whether a lonely minute or a large gathering, He is always there. So during tough times, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the promised gift of hope from God above.
When things seem out of control, he’s in control; when things seem dark, he is light; when things seem to hurt, he’s the healer. When things seem hopeless, he is our hope. So, this season, focus on the gift of hope whose Name is Jesus. Blessings on your journey.