The world seems to have run amuck--floods, oil spills, mine accidents, a minister planning to burn the Koran (this one really got to me), people losing jobs, homes, hope. As I write this, the election season with its constant onslaught of innuendo that plays on people’s fears is drawing to a close (thank goodness!). When people lose hope--fear and anger seem to fill in the gap, leaving us very vulnerable. All of this greed, anger, pain, and sadness makes my heart hurt, and if my heart aches, how must God feel?
God in his infinite mercy sent us hope. He sent hope in the form of a baby. What baby doesn’t bring a feeling of hope and joy to our hearts? But, this one brought hope and joy, not just to his own family, but to the world. This baby was God’s own Son. He brought love, forgiveness, and hope to a world that needed it and still needs it very badly.
This holy season fills our hearts with hope and joy. Hope that the world will be a better place. Hope that we can make our little corner of it a better place by loving, forgiving, and accepting others as God loves, forgives and accepts us; by sharing the hope and joy that God’s love and forgiveness brings to each of us. Loving, forgiving, accepting, sharing... caring--isn’t that what Christmas is really all about?
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
Margaret Williams
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