Joy and Hope at Christmas

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”   Romans 12:11-12 NIV

Many years ago I cross-stitched an advent calendar. For the past few weeks we have been adding little cross-stitched figures to the stable scene, and now we have only three figures left to add! Whoohoo! Christmas is almost here! Wait…is it Christmas?

Perhaps it is just a holiday where an overweight man in a bull-attracting suit breaks into our homes to tempt us with materialism. Is that what this season is all about?

Or perhaps it is just a time when we should be nice to our cranky neighbor, throw a few coins into a kettle at the entrance of the store, and spread the joy and hope of….what?

Happy Holidays, we hear. And it is a Happy Holiday. But not because of the presents, not because of the empty peace and goodwill we are encouraged to show everyone around us, but because this holiday reminds us that we are part of a much larger story than 2011. Our story goes back to the beginning of people – when God created a being that he wanted to communicate with, that he wanted to spend eternity with, that he loved.

The story continued as the eternal Jesus took on a human body as a helpless baby, grew into a culture-changing man, and loved us so much that he died so that we could live.

But the story did not stop with Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection or even ascension. The story has continued for thousands of years. Even as governments fell, economies collapsed, and evil seemed prevalent, there has always been a remnant that live the story of God’s love.

It is our turn now. We are part of the remnant called to live the story of God’s love. We are the only ones who can truly spread joy and hope this season because we know where joy and hope come from.

May you have a wonderful Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Savior. May you spread the joy and hope of this season into your family, community, nation, and world as you live your part of the story of God’s love.