Our True Hope
By Gregory John Wilson
Musings during Christmas-time — December 22, 2019
Well, Christmas is just a few days away now. For some, it will be a warm time with family and perhaps friends, with food and probably some hot drinks of some sort! But for others, maybe for some of YOU, family is NOT coming, and even amidst all the festivity, maybe you will feel sad and alone!
I have found that when we put all our hope into a DAY, with only the highest expectations for that day, we can set ourselves up to be let down. For this world is not perfect, and everything might not go our way. Is there a better way? I believe there is.
If we instead place our hope in a Person, an all powerful person who cannot fail us - Father God - any disappointment can be washed away by the joy we can have, knowing we have a future of eternal bliss with the Glorious Father above, and that He is guiding us and caring for us while we are here down below. His Holy Spirit can comfort us, and then everything will be more enjoyable, be it a simple mug of hot apple cider or hot chocolate, or if we have the pleasure of gathering with loved ones.
You see, to me it seems many want to place their hope in the here and now, and want everything right in front of them right now, regarding Christmas Day. Party party party! But what are we celebrating? Are we just worshipping pleasure? Or can we celebrate something truly wonderous and deep and joyful - the Almighty God drawing near to us and having a relationship with us!
For Christians, of course Christmas is the time to remember just that, and this is good. But let's not forget that the sweet baby Jesus will return again in glory to rule and reign and judge the nations with righteousness! This is a great hope for the future - the Kingdom of God coming to earth in glory and splendor, so we should not get TOO fixed on the past now, should we? Yes, it is good to remember the frail way God sent His amazing gift of love to earth. He was a baby once. But He will ever rule and reign as a full robust manly Jewish man!
So again, fix your hope on the exciting future to come with the Father, not just something from the past! And this should bring more LIFE and fresh air, so to speak, to your Christmas time! Christ the babe was given so you could ultimately have life to the fullest with God in a future eternity! So the past points to the future.
Now while talking about 'our true hope' I find it necessary to point out another aspect of truth regarding Christmastime. And that is… well, to start, the Bible never tells us when the birth of Jesus occured. Sadly, moreover, it is pretty common knowledge when you research, that December 25th used to be a pagan celebration of a false God, with immorality, etc.. It was Christianized into the 'Christ-Mass' to remember Jesus' birth, yet some remaining elements like Christmas trees are said by some sources to have pagan roots as well. And in the book of Deuteronomy, God tells His people to not worship Him like the pagans worship. Thus, I say this so you just know that at least some of the roots of Christmas are not exactly founded on a holy foundation.
Thus, I would like to suggest as well that you consider the purely Biblical schedule of holidays that originates from God's words in Leviticus 23. These were also continued in new testament times and Jesus provides rich fulfillment to these feasts, including Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.
In Zechariah 14, there is a prophecy given of the Lord being King over all the earth and people from the nations coming up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of tabernacles. So as you remember Christ's birth at this time of year, also look to the time when He will be King over all the earth and we will be keeping the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem! Jesus 'tabernacled' with us 2000 years ago when He took on flesh to dwell in, something remembered at Christmastime, and the book of Revelation says He will do so again when He returns to the earth to reign and dwell with us.
Thus, may you embrace Our True Hope during this time of year - a relationship with Father God and His Son, who came as a babe to become a man to pay for our sins so we can have life everlasting, and also remember He will come again when we will apparently be keeping the feasts of the Bible, specifically the feast of tabernacles!
Prayer requests or quick questions or comments?
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