Advent
The Gift of Hope
The Gift of Hope
Opening the Gifts of Advent Series
On this first Sunday in Advent, the season when we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s birth, we light a single candle and are reminded to place our hope in Him. He is our firm foundation and the Anchor which holds us fast. Jesus came to this earth, lived among us and then gave His life in order to provide a way to bridge the gap between us and God. He came to give us hope – hope of a life forever with Him. Christ, the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, willingly took our sins upon His shoulders to set us free! What an incredible gift! No longer are we chained to our pasts or burdened with an uncertain future.
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary” (Hebrews 6:19).
When we place our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed. The things of this world will come and go, like sand slipping through our fingers. But Christ and His promises are trustworthy and unchanging. He tells us that no matter what happens in this world, when we place our hope in Him, we are secure. And that security…that hope…gives us peace of mind and heart.
16 Comments
Jo, thank you for sharing this simple yet profound verse for this first Sunday in Advent. I'm going to sit with it for a few moments before running off. Bless you.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! Thanks for joining me on this first Sunday in Advent! What a blessing it is to receive His gift of hope!
DeleteThank you for sharing this beautiful message! He is worthy of all are praise and to Him alone be the glory! Love reading your writing. Your sister in Christ
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to see you here, Darla! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, He is so worthy of all our praise!
DeleteThank you for your words. For God is so worthy of our praise. So thankful that He alone is our anchor for our souls. May Jesus receive all the Glory!
ReplyDeleteHe holds us fast and is our hope! I am so thankful!
DeleteBeautifully said and much good to reflect on here, Joan.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam! May God bless you with the gift of hope this Advent season!
DeleteBeautiful reminder and encouragement as my thoughts had turned to Romans 5:5 - our hope will not disappoint!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne! I love the message of Romans 5:5 -- God's love is poured out into our hearts! What a gift! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteBeautiful thoughts! Jesus is our hope for always. I love Hebrews 6:19.
ReplyDeleteWe need the "anchor" of God as we travel through life. He keeps us steady and on the right path. I am so thankful!
DeleteAhhh, Jo. Such encouraging words here. In what can be a busy season, the reminder to orient my focus on keeping hope in Jesus is just what I need. I loved this: "But Christ and His promises are trustworthy and unchanging. He tells us that no matter what happens in this world, when we place our hope in Him, we are secure."
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne! Yes, I hold that verse close to my heart. In fact, it is the inspiration for the name of this blog! I am secure in the hope He gives! I'm so glad you were encouraged today! Blessings, Jo
DeleteHope is such a mystical thing. I'm glad Advent opens with it. I definitely need to cultivate more hope after a tough year.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry that this was a tough year, Lisa. But, God is faithful! I pray that during this Advent season the gift of hope grows strong in your life!
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