12/19- Hope Means This is Not "It"

Wednesday- 12/19- 1 Cor. 15:19,20- ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Thoughts: Christmas, in many ways, is a reminder of the supernatural caring for the natural and intersecting our time and space.  It is the personal God showing personal care by becoming a person- breathing our air, walking on our soil, eating our food, coming to our home.   Christmas is God coming to deliver us from this life’s problems and sins.  

     So, our hope is not just for here.   This does not mean that what we do here is insignificant.  God has placed us here, and came here to show us in part that He cares about our lives here.  But our hope is not limited to the here and now.  When Kay was told right after Christmas in 2006 that she had cancer and would not have long to live, we lost hope in this life.  It changed our perspective to value more the life to come, but also to deeply appreciate the hope we have here.  The hope we have here is not in more of this earth- but that this life intersects, prepares, and counts toward the next.  Each day is a blessing, but our hope remains in our eternal future.  Our hope is beyond the trouble of this world- but in the God of Christmas.  This is not "It."  We Don't have to "eat drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die"- and then there is no tomorrow.  We don't have to believe "He who dies with the most toys wins."  We live with an eternal perspective but aware that what we do here counts.

(Anna- a widow from her youth, and Simeon an old man hold the baby- recognizing the hope of the Messiah in Him).

Prayer: May my eyes focus on you, O God, who came to us in order to bring us hope in the form of a baby.

Application:  Name one problem that you have now that will be over when you go to heaven.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.