Joyful Expectation

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” Romans 15:13

Planning for upcoming holiday festivities often puts folks in a dither. Minds whirl with all that needs to be done; stress levels spike. The list of holiday preparations looms long and daunting with self-imposed deadlines.

Where’s the peace that should envelope us at this time of year as we reflect on the hope and love God gave us in His Son Jesus Christ? God’s merciful gift of joy and peace was made available to all of us when Jesus was born. God is the Source of hope. Hope is Jesus; hope is forgiveness of sins; hope is a bright future—forever.

Because of God’s fathomless love for us, He provided a Plan of Salvation for all when He sent His Son Jesus to earth to live and die for us. Jesus came as Hope to a sinful, dying people, separated from God. Jesus came to complete His Father’s perfect Plan--to reconcile us to Him by humbling Himself, by enduring ridicule and torture and by dying a cruel death on a cross as a Sacrifice for all sin! Because of His sacrifice, if we believe in who Christ is and why He died and if we confess our sins to Him and repent, we are made righteous in God’s eyes.

Jesus redeemed us and made the way for us to live forever with Him in Glory. What an amazing hope for us! The reality of our hope and promise in Jesus wraps us in joy and peace forever.

We can, therefore, live each day joyfully expectant that because of God’s gift of His Son, we will one day share in the Glory of Christ.

We can own a Hope Eternal which is rooted in God’s Power.

We can live by His Strength to see us through the trials that come to us in this sinful world.

We can live above the din of life’s stresses and busyness with a hope and a peace that only comes from God.

We can trust God’s promises given to us through His Word, the Bible.

We can confidently live each day in full assurance that we are His children if we’ve given our lives in obedience to Him.

As we intentionally make Jesus Lord of our lives, we can rest joyfully and peacefully, knowing eternal life with Him is God’s merciful gift for us!

Let’s not get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas which Satan uses to entangle us and to take our eyes off Jesus. Let’s live above the fray.

Let’s focus on the Reason for the Season and celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ this year and throughout each and every day God grants us here on this earth.

Let’s entrust our lives to the Creator of the Universe.

Let’s rest in His peace that passes our understanding.

Let’s glory in the Hope of eternal life with Christ.

Let’s live with joyful expectation!

 

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