“A Savior is Born”
Today we celebrate the first advent of Jesus, the Messiah whom Israel had been waiting on for centuries! And if God was faithful to His word out of steadfast love in the first advent, He will remain faithful to the end at Jesus’ second advent. This hope is a bold proclamation that present reality is not the ultimate reality. This hope tethers our lives to God’s future, not to our present circumstances and feelings. Trusting in this Hope gives us a posture of Peace and an attitude of Joy.
We celebrate Advent to dedicate time together to nurture our Hope, Peace and Joy but that nurturing is not limited to any one season. How will you continue to nurture your Hope, Peace and Joy throughout the next year?
Scriptures
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!