Hope: The Heart of the Holiday
"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
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the holiday season. From dressing the kids up in crazy Halloween costumes, to preparing delicious food for Thanksgiving dinner, to the twinkling light-filled magic that is all of December - there is so much to look forward to!
This time of year is special and everyone feels it. Storefronts transform to beckon holiday shopping, neighborhoods light up at night, and cherished traditions take place around the world.
But the reason for all of this anticipation can easily get lost in the beautiful blur of busyness. Much of the world participates in all of the Christmastime wonder, completely unaware or willfully ignoring the heart of holiday.
What is the heart of the holiday? Hope. Glorious, unshakable, unmerited hope.
It isn’t tradition. It isn’t matching family pajama sets. It isn’t Hallmark movie marathons. It isn’t gifts or shopping or music. As wonderful as all of those things are, these momentary holiday celebrations come to an end. The last of the gifts are opened, the decorations are put away and the elf is removed from his proverbial shelf.
But the hope we celebrate? This cannot be stolen from us. It doesn’t end when the Christmas lights come down. It isn’t weakened when our holiday plans are ruined. It doesn’t waver if our December is marked by grief while the rest of the world celebrates.
This hope is, of course, Jesus Christ our Savior. His birth transcends a single holiday. His coming into the world as both God and man is the beginning of God’s rescue plan for his people. It is the starting note of our eternal, endless worship.
"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." - Galatians 4:4-8
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,” Ephesians 1:18
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
The hope we’ve been given through the birth of Jesus Christ is not the same as the fleeting, circumstantial pseudo-hope that the world offers. That hope is often limited to certain people, life stages, career titles, bank account funds or countless other temporary things. But the hope we have in Jesus Christ is unshakeable, completely sufficient, and securely eternal.
Without the birth of Jesus Christ, you and I have no hope. Without him, we stand before a holy and perfect God as wretched sinners completely unable to save ourselves. But our God met our rebellion with rescue. He saw our sin and sent a Savior. The hope that was born in Bethlehem so long ago is a hope worth celebrating.
So celebrate! Enjoy those matching PJ sets. Cozy up with hot chocolate and the latest wonderfully cheesy Hallmark movie. Sing the carols, look at the lights, give the gifts - but do all of this while resting and rejoicing in the glorious hope behind the holiday.
