Over the past 5-6 years, I have been using Prof. Grant Horner’s Bible reading schedule for my daily devotions. It gives one chapter from each of the different sections of the Bible for you to read daily. There are a total of 10 chapters/day therefore you can read through the Bible every 250 days. Using this method, each time you read through the Bible, your selection of chapters constantly changes.

As a result, this year, my readings did not include any of the classic Scriptures used during Advent so this blog has Scriptures which are unusual.

Hope you enjoy and find Christ to be your comfort during this season of the year.

Hope is a necessary ingredient for life. But there are different kinds of hope.

There is hope as a “wishful thinking” for something which you will forget about in a few days.

There is hope which is quite self indulging.

And there is a hope which touches deep down into the bosom of God.

What are you hoping for?

It is interesting how the words in this oft quoted verse on faith vary from English translation to English translation.

Is faith that which is hoped for or is faith the confidence in that which is hoped for? (New International Version)

Is faith the foundation in what we hope for or the firm foundation in what we hope for? (The Message)

Is faith that which is hoped for or the assurance of that which is hoped for? (Revised Standard Version)

Is faith that which is hoped for or is faith the substance of that which is hoped for? (King James Version)

From this, I would have to say that faith is the confidence, assurance, substance, and firm foundation which makes our hope certain and “real”.

Faith is not that which is hoped for. Hope is something separate from faith.

Then what is hope?

First of all, we must understand that we have been created with this inner longing for God. That is a fact.

We do not hope for this longing. It is already there.

This longing is unseen. This longing is something real but invisible.

What we hope for is the filling of this longing.

That is where faith comes in. And when we recognize this longing and act upon it, then that which is unseen and hoped for becomes more real to us.

When we act upon that which we long for but don’t see, that shows our confidence and that is faith.

Or it shows the assurance God gives us that our hope is on a firm foundation.

That is faith. It all stems from that which we hope for.

And that firm foundation is nothing more than Jesus Christ himself!

The Greek word used for peace means more than the external peace we desire. It means peace, harmony, tranquility; safety, welfare, health; often with an emphasis on lack of strife or reconciliation in a relation, as when one has “peace with God.”

Once again the peace that the world offers still means we lock our doors, be overwhelmed with anxiety, and fear any change in government or community could devastate us. It is a peace on the outside with turmoil on the inside.

But the peace God gives us is that tranquility down deep in spite of what is happening all around us.

Just like the hymn says,

“We have an anchor which keeps the soul

steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

Fastened to a rock which cannot move.

Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.”

There is a profound peace in that assurance of what we hope for in God.

Our spiritual longing is filled with hope which results in peace.

And that peace comes from Jesus who said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” John 14:27 (RSV)

What can I say? There are over 40 words used to convey “joy” in the Bible!

Joy is so connected with worship and praise, it is hard to separate. Joy is the ultimate expression of God. A God who loves you beyond your comprehension yearns for your worship, your praise, your joy.

As a stayed professional, I do not express my joy with dance or hands in the air.

I recall one time of worship in song where the beat was wonderful, the spirit full, and the singing of the congregants showed they were “in to it”. My friend sitting next to me said, “I saw you tapping your toe!!” And I was.

But usually, my expression of joy is moist eyes. When I am moved, I get misty eyed and choked up. You may be different. Just as long as it is an expression that comes from deep within.

When our spiritual longing is filled with hope, we receive profound peace, and that gives us joy.

Once again, Jesus fulfills this. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 (RSV)

You can’t get any better joy than that!

If the disciples would have loved Jesus the way God intends us to love, they would have rejoiced that Jesus was going to the Father.

You see, Jesus longs to be with His Father. He longs for reconciliation between man and His Father. He longs for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

But this would mean those remaining on earth would be without Jesus present to guide and to help them.

Do I consider the benefits and joy of Jesus being re-united with His Father of greater value than my need of being with Jesus?

Am I willing to place my needs and wants aside to see someone else receive greater blessing and rest?

Does this give you “great joy”? It is worth reflecting on.

That is why Jesus replied, “If you had loved me, you would have rejoiced.”

Oh, God forgive us.

We do not understand love.

We do not understand that love which rejoices in the blessings of others even if it means loss for me.

But we are so blessed to have received such an example of God’s love in Christ Jesus who followed this principle.

That longing each of us has finds a confident hope in Christ who provides us with unspeakable peace which can only be expressed in joy as we plumb the depths of God’s love.

May you experience a God-filled Christmas this year 2024.