Hope: Day 2
Hope in the Word
By Patrick Spiedel
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of His servant David, just as He promised through His holy prophets long ago.
Luke 1:68-70 NLT
Have you ever forgotten what God can do?
What about not believing what was possible?
When an angel of the Lord told the priest, Zechariah, that he and his wife would have a child in their old age, Zechariah didn’t believe him. As a result, Zechariah lost his ability to speak until the fulfillment of the angel’s words.
Then, an amazing blessing came into Zechariah’s life: his wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to a son they named John. This son would go on to prepare the way for Jesus, the Savior. At the naming of his son, Zechariah’s voice returned and he praised God for providing a Savior for His people “just as He promised.”
Consider this: there is no evidence of God ever failing to keep His promises. Not once in all of Scripture. He was faithful even so far as to send His Son into our broken world to give His life in order to save us. From our human perspective, it would have been understandable to have second thoughts. Maybe this would be the time that God went back on His word. No! The fact is that humanity was given the gift of hope in the person of Jesus. He is the single, most important piece of evidence that God keeps His promises.
Even in light of this, how often do we struggle with remembering the hope of Jesus? How difficult is it for us to remember that God keeps His promises? Yet creation itself is the fulfillment of God’s Word. Through a simple act of speaking, the entire universe came into being! There was no delay. We can have confidence in God’s promises simply by observing His creation.
Like Zechariah, may we open our eyes to see God’s faithfulness in this season and open our mouths to praise the God who keeps His promises.
Pray
God, may I, as your child, cling to the Hope that your life, death, and resurrection brings. I pray that You would illuminate how You are working in the places and people around me and within my own heart. May this illumination remind me of my salvation and well up in me a Great Hope, so that I may offer You praise and glory. Amen.
Act
Be patient in line at the store today. Offer to let someone go ahead of you.
Serve your next door neighbor by helping around their yard, bringing their garbage cans back from the end of the driveway, raking leaves, or shoveling their walk.
Write a thank you note and hand deliver it to your local police department.
Family Application
Start a tradition! Choose 1-3 relatives or family friends. Record a short selfie video Christmas greeting as a family and text it to them.