“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” –Isaiah 9:6–7
This past Sunday we lit the first Advent candle—the candle of Hope—and it was a gentle reminder that the hope of Christmas is not the same as the kind of hope we seek when we cross our fingers and wish things would turn out a certain way. That wishful hope is tentative, fragile, and uncertain, and it lives in the realm of “maybe.”
The hope we celebrate at Christmas, however, begins in a manger and is rooted in the reality of who Jesus is. Isaiah’s promise—“a child is born, a son is given”—wasn’t a suggestion or a nice idea, it was God’s announcement that He had entered our world to restore what was broken. This Incarnation moves hope out of the realm of wishfulness and plants it firmly in the person of Jesus.
We live in a fallen world that hands out heartbreak, confusion, and grief like unwanted gifts. But when we anchor our hearts to Jesus—The Messiah who came for each of us—hope becomes a practical presence. It steadies our hands when life rocks the boat and it gives our weary feet the courage to step forward when the path seems long and dark.
The Bible describes this hope in different ways—as an anchor that holds (Hebrews 6:19), as a living hope that springs from the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3–4), and as the peace born in a child who will rule with justice (Isaiah 9). These images aren’t abstract theology—they describe a hope that steadies our hearts in moments of crisis, that whispers peace in hospital rooms, and refuses to let us settle for despair.
This hope comes from Divine Presence. What makes Christmas different is not only what Jesus did for the salvation of the world, but that He came to BE WITH US. He is Emmanuel—God with us—which means the promise of future restoration is tethered to the promise that He walks with us today. In the ache of loss, He wraps us in His arms; in the fog of uncertainty, He lights a path; in the numbness of disappointment, He breathes life and reminds us that there is more in front of us than what we can see.
Jesus makes hope a present-tense reality as well as a future certainty. And we realize it’s not just “someday” language—It’s “today, even now” language. God is able to fill us with joy and peace so that our hope overflows with confidence to those around us. (Romans 15:13)
Lord Jesus, we thank You that the hope of Christmas is real and alive. You came into our world to be with us, to carry us, and to lead us forward. As we walk through this season, fill our hearts with hope. Remind us that You are near in every circumstance and faithful in every moment. Help us to rest in the hope that only You can bring and to shine that hope to those around us. Draw us closer to You this Christmas, and strengthen us with the joy of knowing You are Emmanuel—a truth that ignites hope in our hearts. -Amen
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