Hope In Jesus
2019 was the year we decided to take the epic family Disney trip – thank God for that timing! We bought the tickets in February and didn’t plan to go until September, so we literally spent weeks upon weeks planning and anticipating this amazing trip. Finally the time came, and Disney lived up to all of our expectations. We had the best time! But then, just like a snap of the fingers, it was over. As we boarded the airplane to come home, we were filled with precious memories of the week. And then the wave of disappointment hit. It was all over, and now it was time to return to real life.
I don’t know about you, but Christmas has always been a holiday I’ve met with great anticipation. The lights, the music, the gift buying, the movies, the story – all of it gets me excited and in the mood to celebrate. But after such an arduous year, I found myself anticipating the holiday even earlier than normal and longing for it with an even greater intensity. And now it’s over. All of the anticipation, all of the decorating, all of the celebrating has come to an end. And I’m met with a wave of disappointment that it’s time to return to real life, especially real life as it is in 2020.
Oh, and as I think of that, I realize the truth that God has been pressing in to me all throughout this holiday season. While I love the celebration, that’s not what it’s all about. If all I’ve looked forward to is the holiday, then I’ve missed the whole point. My hope can’t be in a holiday, it can’t be in a vacation or meeting my next goal. My hope is only going to return zero disappointment if it’s in the right place -- and that is in a Person - the Person of Jesus, the One I’ve been celebrating all along. He came to this earth for you and for me! Because He loves us! And while we all have to go back to some version of “real life” sometime soon, we’re not doing it alone. We still have Jesus. We didn’t leave Him in the manger; He is right here in the hearts of all who have placed their faith in Him.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:16-17a)
By Sarah Green
Sarah is IBC’s Director of Women’s Ministries and is the wife of Ray and mother of Addison and Emily.
I don’t know about you, but Christmas has always been a holiday I’ve met with great anticipation. The lights, the music, the gift buying, the movies, the story – all of it gets me excited and in the mood to celebrate. But after such an arduous year, I found myself anticipating the holiday even earlier than normal and longing for it with an even greater intensity. And now it’s over. All of the anticipation, all of the decorating, all of the celebrating has come to an end. And I’m met with a wave of disappointment that it’s time to return to real life, especially real life as it is in 2020.
Oh, and as I think of that, I realize the truth that God has been pressing in to me all throughout this holiday season. While I love the celebration, that’s not what it’s all about. If all I’ve looked forward to is the holiday, then I’ve missed the whole point. My hope can’t be in a holiday, it can’t be in a vacation or meeting my next goal. My hope is only going to return zero disappointment if it’s in the right place -- and that is in a Person - the Person of Jesus, the One I’ve been celebrating all along. He came to this earth for you and for me! Because He loves us! And while we all have to go back to some version of “real life” sometime soon, we’re not doing it alone. We still have Jesus. We didn’t leave Him in the manger; He is right here in the hearts of all who have placed their faith in Him.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:16-17a)
By Sarah Green
Sarah is IBC’s Director of Women’s Ministries and is the wife of Ray and mother of Addison and Emily.
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