"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"A veterinarian to help animals and their owners," was my quick reply.
Fast-forward to college; some classes I loved, while others I had to attend. Chemistry came quickly to me, but Biology was work. My academic advisor asked me to answer a few questions at the start of my sophomore year.
Do you like Biology? Why or Why not?
Do you like Chemistry? Why or Why not?
What is your favorite class so far?
After a few days of thinking about her questions, my favorite part of college bubbled up in my mind. My job of helping other students was my favorite thing. Working through and explaining chemistry problems gave me joy, while memorizing biology facts drained me. With my advisor's encouragement, I changed my major to Chemistry, Secondary Education, with a minor in Religion.
My dream changed, but my hope of helping people did not. Teaching for eleven years in West Virginia, Virginia, and Colorado showed me how teaching could change the world. Teaching is my lifelong passion. Even though I no longer teach chemistry, I hope people will hear God's Word and grow in His love.
Jesus came to earth to give us hope. Jesus is Our Hope. Before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God planned to return hope to the world. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He brought the hope of salvation to the nation of Israel and the Gentiles.
People often quote Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" If you continue reading Jeremiah 29:11-13, God tells us how to lean into the hope He has made available to us through His Son.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13
Jesus wants us to trust His plans for our future. He is our hope, but we must remember He doesn't promise us an easy life or freedom from trials. He promised we would face trials and persecutions, but He will be with us. These verses remind us to trust Him. We call out to Him, and He will hear us. So many times, I call out but don't truly trust Him and His plans. The world's concerns or my trials are the center of my focus, rather than seeking Him with my entire heart. His plans will lead us through times when we will be attacked, tempted, or discouraged. But when we focus on following Him, we will have hope in the future with Him. We must focus on His sacrifice and resurrection, providing our salvation. We will have trials, but Christ has overcome everything.
The first candle, across from the pink candle on the advent wreath, represents God's hope for us. He wants us to shine the light of His hope into the darkness surrounding the people who can experience God's goodness, faithfulness, mercy, and loving-kindness. In the Old Testament, God sent prophets to shine the light of hope into the dark world by sharing His plans with the people. These prophets shared many critical details of Christ's coming birth, His life, death, resurrection, and His Second Coming (or triumphant return). God gave the prophets words about His hope through His Redeemer, Jesus. They tell us about the faithful servant, our Redeemer, who is our hope for eternal life.
God sent many prophets who foretold Christ's Second coming. He would come as a baby and the King to reign over all the earth. They shared where Jesus would be born, his life in Egypt, and even his entrance into Jerusalem. Many psalms are considered to be prophetic. They speak about Jesus' life and remind us of His death and resurrection. The Psalms and the prophecies about Jesus' birth came true, as will the ones about His Second Coming. And because they did, we have hope for the fulfillment of the final prophecy.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke list Jesus' genealogy to show the fulfillment of God's promises. They continue to show how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about his birth, ministry, death, and resurrection.
All the prophets remind us of God's hope. God is waiting for us to turn to Him and accept His gift of salvation. The prophecies remind us to look with hope to the future return of our King of Kings. We wait with hope for the Second Coming of Christ our King. Like the prophets, God calls us to share our hope in the resurrection of the dead and Christ's return. Paul said it very clearly in 1 Corinthians 15.
"But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised." 1 Corinthians 15:13-15
As we read these verses alongside the ones in the Prophets, we see the hope God has shared with us. We must look for Christ's Second Coming as the King of Kings. Jesus is our Hope. How can we live our lives to show our hope in Christ? How can we share the light of Christ to give the world hope? Writing and speaking about the hope shared by the prophets is one way. How can you share the Hope of Christ with people you know?
Scriptures to use to meditate upon the hope of God:
Isaiah 60:1-5
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:2, 6, 7
Isaiah 11:2-4
Daniel 7:13-14
Micah 5:2
Hymns to sing or listen to:
O Come O Come Emmanuel
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Questions for discussion:
1. Do you have a favorite prophet? If so, why?
2. Read Psalm 22. What verses describe Jesus? How can this Psalm give us hope?
3. In what areas of your life do you need hope? What verses could you write out to help remind you of the hope in Christ?
4. How can you share hope with people around you?
5. What is your favorite holiday tradition? How can you use that tradition to share the hope of Christ with those around you?
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