Devotional:Jesus Is Our Hope:Luke 2:25-35

“And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ’ (Lk 2:26, NASB).

I was about the sixth grade in elementary school. Christmas Day was approaching. As my daddy and I were working together chopping wood for the wood burning heater, I made my wishes known to my daddy. I told daddy that I wanted a bicycle for Christmas. Daddy told me that he could not get me one for this year because he did not have enough money. Maybe next year, he said. I accepted daddy’s answer, and quite frankly, I was not surprised. I had sense enough to know that daddy did not earn much money. Although I wished to have my own bicycle, daddy’s answer did not leave me with much hope. Over the years I wish to have my own bike, but I really had no hope.

There is a difference between wishing and hope. When we wish for something it means that we want something, but we have expectation that we will get what we wish for. On the other hand, when we hope for something we fully expect to get what we desire. Hope requires faith and patience.

In our scripture passage we read that there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. Simeon is described as a righteous and devout man. He was He was hoping to see the Messiah. His hope was based on God’s promise that he would live to see the promised Messiah. Because Simeon had hope he came to the temple expecting to see the child that God promised. When Simeon entered the temple he recognized that this particular child was the One that he had been hoping to see.

Jesus is our hope because He is the fulfillment of what the prophets had foretold. The prophets did not create a story. Rather they wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, NASB). Jesus is our hope because of His ability to keep His promise. Jesus is our hope because He died on the cross for sin. His death is sufficient for forgiveness of sin. In Him we are reconciled to the Father. Jesus is our hope because in Him we have eternal life.

My daddy made no promise to me. My daddy did not have the resources (money) needed to give me what I wished for. I never stopped wishing for a bicycle, but I did not hope for one. Yet, I remember only good Christmas celebrations. Daddy used his meager amount of money to give the family some good things. We enjoyed the season.

Jesus is our hope. Do not wish for something that God has not promised you. Jesus is our hope for all that God has promised to give to us.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for giving us hope through Christ Jesus. Amen.