Christmas Hope
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been
poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5
Hope is a vital part of life. Hope drives and motivates us. It gives us the power to endure in hard times and to excel in good times. Without hope, we die. The good news in our passage today is that through faith, we can have hope even in the face of our sinfulness and in life’s hardships.
In v 2 the Bible says: “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” This hope is rooted in both who God is and what God has done for us. He is the holy God, who seeks his wayward children and provides a way home. God demonstrated His love for us in spite of us. While we were still sinners, God sent Jesus to be our salvation. In Romans 5:8 the Bible says: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ came to earth to open the way to God, so in Christ we have gained access to God’s grace. The image of “gaining access” is that of a ship reaching a safe harbour in the threat of a raging storm. We have hope because we have shelter and security in almighty God’s grace.
Do you feel undeserving of God’s love? Do you feel you are beyond hope? At Christmas, we celebrate not what we have done, but what God has done for us. Our hope is not in ourselves. Real hope rests in God’s promises and in His amazing love for sinners like you and me. Can you look forward to celebrating Christmas with that hope?
Bible Reading
Romans 5:1-11.
Prayer
I praise you, Father God, that in Your great mercy You have given all Christians a new birth into a living hope. Help me to wait patiently and confidently in You. In Christ, I pray. Amen.
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