Hope can easily be defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, according to webster dictionary. This type of hope can be experienced by any person with no discrimination. I hope to get a new pair of converse for Christmas and with great expectation I wait until Christmas morning to rip open the gifts beneath the tree to see if my desire and hoping paid off. There’s another side of hope that is limited. Not everyone knows and can experience this hope. Its not an expectation or a desire, its a truth and a promise. It’s not hope based off of the rise and falls of this world, but off the steadfast love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ. The world doesn’t know and cannot know this hope apart from Jesus. It doesn’t exist in the patterns of this world. This hope was born in a manger stall early Christmas morning many years ago.
Every Christmas I go through the motions of re reading the Christmas story from Luke 2 and reminding myself that Jesus is the reason for the season. This year has been a bit different, however. Over Thanksgiving the Lord tuned my heart to the word joy and poured truth over me as I grew in His word on the topic of joy and what it means for my life. As the Christmas season has been approaching the word hope has been heavy on my heart. Here is what the Lord has been teaching me…
What are things that come to mind when you think of Christmas?
Family, friends, carols, snow, christmas lights, and of course Jesus’ birthday. All of which are great things that are full of fun and happy connotations. Without the birth of Jesus all that we would be doing in life would be meaningless- it calls for great celebration! But let’s think about the very first Christmas from the perspective of Jesus. The word SUBMISSION comes to mind- incredible, mind blowing, humbling submission of Jesus to His Father.
Philippians 2:6 & 7
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men.
Jesus sat at the right hand of God in the form of God and humbled himself to come down to earth and be born, just as you and I are born, and submit to human physicality, human will, human limits, human struggles, human temptations and human mind. He human in complete form. While He still remained God, he bled as you and I bleed, he cried as you and I cry, he experienced emotions and feelings just as you and I do. He knew that coming to earth meant death on a cross and He submitted to the will of His Father. On that very first Christmas, Jesus stepped down out of heaven and went from God to human so that we could rejoice. He gave up glory so that one day we could experience it with Him. Realize this- Jesus didn’t float through His days on this Earth without a struggle. Living a perfect life didn’t come easy to his human nature just as it wouldn’t come easy to us. He knew that there was no other way, He knew it had to be done, so He did it. He lived a perfect life, died a sinners death, and rose victorious.
This is where hope comes in: because He lived the life that I couldn’t and took my place on the cross and rose to life defeating death and promised Himself to me if I would only repent of my sins and give my life over to Him, what He won on the cross would be mine.
As a believer this truth makes me want to run around in circles and jump up and down. My life has purpose because He submitted to the Father’s will. And get this… it doesn’t stop there.
Hebrews 6:19 & 20
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Unlike hope defined by the dictionary, this hope that we get to experience as believers is ALIVE. Because He died the death we deserved and rose victorious and sits at the hand of God we know how our story ends. He became man in full so that He could say us in full (http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/jesus-is-fully-human), and promise us eternal life with Him. Our external circumstances do not determine His eternal promise. The winds can be blowing, seas be raging, boat capsizing- but this hope is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls. This hope carries us, guides us, drives us forward because we know that His promise will not be shaken by anything that this world throws our way.
Christmas isn’t always the easiest time for some. Having experienced death myself with losing my dad, I know first hand that the holiday season makes living that reality a little bit more difficult. With all the family gatherings and memories being made, a big piece of heart is missing. For others it might not be death that makes this season hard to bare. It might be waking up on Christmas alone, not being able to provide Christmas as one would like for their family due to financial issues, broken relationships, distance from loved ones, the list goes on and on. It seems as if the weight of the world is 5X’s heavier during this time of year. The sin of the world is felt all the more during these days. It’s effects on our lives is without notice. The truth that we live in a fallen world is evident. If you know Christ, however, it doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, we feel the pain of death but we know that His Word says that death has been defeated and that one day we will walk side by side those loved ones again that knew Christ as their savior. We see that money is lacking, but He promises His provisions to meet all of our needs. We experience the brokenness of relationships but His Word says that even in this broken and hurting world He gives life and life more abundantly. How? Because none of these things last. Our hope reminds us that this world is not our home and we are only pilgrims passing through.
Jesus,
May we be moved to action by this living hope that you bought for us with your submission. We know that it wasn’t an easy battle but you fought it because you knew that we couldn’t do it for ourselves. You willingly made less of yourself so that God could make more of us. Praise you for that Jesus! Thank you for this living hope that redefines my life. Thank you for paying the price, thank you for coming to earth, thank you for saving my soul. Jesus we celebrate you this season above all else! Even with hurting hearts, we hold fast to the truth that this world is not our home and that this hope flourishes even in the midst of the tears. Father I pray for those that don’t know you and don’t have this hope in their lives. Father, break down their walls, pursue their hearts, take whats stone and give it life. I pray that those of us that do know you would realize that we posses the hope and joy and life that this world so desperately needs and that we wouldn’t walk through this life without sharing it with others. Set a fire in our soul that cannot be contained. Father, you are so good. Thank you, Jesus. Happy birthday!
Love, Em
Remember + Rejoice 