Day 1: By Juno Smalley
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Psalm 62:5-6
Hi friend,
May your time in Christmas Reflections draw you closer to God, your family, and your friends. As explained earlier this is also the Advent season, where candles are used to help symbolize each week as we become intentional in preparing our hearts to experience a Glimmer of Christmas.
Advent's candle this week is HOPE. Hope is a critical part of our beliefs and influences our emotions, attitudes, and approaches in almost all of life’s circumstances. Most everyone has an opinion about ‘hope’:
- “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and somebody who believes in them.” – Magic Johnson
- “To live without hope is to cease to live.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
from the Hunger Games, we have one of my favorite clips about hope. Click Here.
It is critical that we put our hope in the right place, and during this Advent season, we are reminded that our hope is in Jesus. Our hope isn't in the items we own, our friends, our families, the politicians, our jobs, our home, or our investments.
The Psalmist reminds us where to put our hope...
"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, I put my hope." Psalm 130:5
"The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:11
Paul in the New Testament reminds us: "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:5
SUNDAY'S SONG:
Today’s song is a remix of a classic Christmas song. It's called, ‘O Come, All You Unfaithful.’ At first, I thought it was a slam on the church, yet I confess I have listened to this song dozens of times throughout the year. It's a wonderful reminder that Christ indeed came for all the unfaithful, which means you and me. Jesus came for the weary, the bitter, the tired, the self-sufficient, which means you and me. It profoundly reminds us of the hope in Jesus while pointing us to the world that Jesus came to save.
Click here and listen, and I truly hope you will be encouraged and reminded that Christ was born for you, your neighbor, your family, and your friends. I trust you will be intentionally listening to and allowing God to speak to you and through you as Christ brings Hope to your heart.
SUNDAY'S PRAYER:
Lord, as I think about hope, forgive me for putting my hope in the wrong places.
Keep my heart focused on you as my hope and on you as the world's hope.
Lord, thank you for how you remind me of your hope. Help me keep perspective on the world you have placed me in. Lord, help me to remember your hope is not just for me but for everyone. Lord, help me to be a channel of your hope to the world. Allow the hope that I have in You, Lord, impact the fears lurking around in my heart and mind.
Amen
In this season of preparation, as you read through these Christmas Reflections, this is my prayer for you:
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
Hi friend,
May your time in Christmas Reflections draw you closer to God, your family, and your friends. As explained earlier this is also the Advent season, where candles are used to help symbolize each week as we become intentional in preparing our hearts to experience a Glimmer of Christmas.
Advent's candle this week is HOPE. Hope is a critical part of our beliefs and influences our emotions, attitudes, and approaches in almost all of life’s circumstances. Most everyone has an opinion about ‘hope’:
- “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and somebody who believes in them.” – Magic Johnson
- “To live without hope is to cease to live.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
from the Hunger Games, we have one of my favorite clips about hope. Click Here.
It is critical that we put our hope in the right place, and during this Advent season, we are reminded that our hope is in Jesus. Our hope isn't in the items we own, our friends, our families, the politicians, our jobs, our home, or our investments.
The Psalmist reminds us where to put our hope...
"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, I put my hope." Psalm 130:5
"The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:11
Paul in the New Testament reminds us: "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:5
SUNDAY'S SONG:
Today’s song is a remix of a classic Christmas song. It's called, ‘O Come, All You Unfaithful.’ At first, I thought it was a slam on the church, yet I confess I have listened to this song dozens of times throughout the year. It's a wonderful reminder that Christ indeed came for all the unfaithful, which means you and me. Jesus came for the weary, the bitter, the tired, the self-sufficient, which means you and me. It profoundly reminds us of the hope in Jesus while pointing us to the world that Jesus came to save.
Click here and listen, and I truly hope you will be encouraged and reminded that Christ was born for you, your neighbor, your family, and your friends. I trust you will be intentionally listening to and allowing God to speak to you and through you as Christ brings Hope to your heart.
SUNDAY'S PRAYER:
Lord, as I think about hope, forgive me for putting my hope in the wrong places.
Keep my heart focused on you as my hope and on you as the world's hope.
Lord, thank you for how you remind me of your hope. Help me keep perspective on the world you have placed me in. Lord, help me to remember your hope is not just for me but for everyone. Lord, help me to be a channel of your hope to the world. Allow the hope that I have in You, Lord, impact the fears lurking around in my heart and mind.
Amen
In this season of preparation, as you read through these Christmas Reflections, this is my prayer for you:
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
Posted in Advent Devotional 2022