As a part of our Advent observances at Grace, we are making use of Concordia Publishing’s Behold the Child materials for worship. Our web devotions through Christmas will be guided by Pastor Kevin Golden’s devotional booklet written in support of the Behold the Child theme (you may purchase a downloadable copy of Pr. Golden’s book by following this link).
Prayer Pointers:
For confidence in God in all of life
For your plans to be rooted in God’s purposes for you
Text: Psalm 146:5
Biblical hope…is grounded upon the promises of God. –Pr. Golden
IN WHAT DO YOU place your hope? When the chips are down, and you are on your last throw, where is your hope?
For most of us, hope is a word expressing a particular kind of emotion, a sense that “everything will be fine,” an optimism about the future. “I feel hopeful” is what we generally mean when we talk about hope.
Christian hope is something different. Resting in God’s unchanging promises, hope is an indication of certainty. Hope is about the object of our hope—the thing hoped for—but also about the activity of hoping—we work, plan, take action on the basis of our confidence in God. We recalibrate our lives on the basis of God’s Word, trusting him for the results that come.
As we approach the end of our Advent time, be mindful of how this child that is on the way is the answer to all hopes.
May you live in Advent hope ~ Pr. Dave Brooks
--Quoted materials are from Behold the Child Daily Devotions #12-4563
© 2019 Concordia Publishing House. Used with permission under license 20:12-1. www.cph.org