Come Let us Worship, Day 13, December 13

As spiritual and devout we want to be, it is still a wonderful experience to see the eager anticipation on the face of a child as Christmas morning draws near.  There is something sacred about that.  As we get older and we share gifts, they become more predictable and more practical.  But the enthusiastic expectancy in a child’s demeanor is something closer to the story of Christmas.

A favorite carol at Christmas is O Holy Night[1].  In the first stanza we read these words:

Oh holy night

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world

In sin and error pining

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks

A new and glorious morn

I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Romans where he assesses the world’s anticipation: “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:22–25, ESV).

The “thrill of hope” for the Christian, is not the first coming of Christ, but the Second.  Dr. Douglas Moo’s adds a helpful commentary:

“In brief, Paul has been saying, “We live in hope,” and it is on this note that he concludes this paragraph (vv. 24–25). We were saved “in hope.” By this Paul apparently means that hope has been a part of what our salvation involves from the beginning. Salvation always is a two-part experience: coming to Christ is the first and decisive stage, but ultimate deliverance from sin and death is the second stage (see 5:9–10), and that, of course, does not come until the return of Christ in glory. Thus, hope is not merely an option for the believer; it is a necessary part of what it means to be a Christian. We are people who are always looking forward to what is yet to come. But, Paul concludes, we are to “wait patiently.” The Greek underlying the word “patiently” (di’ hypomonēs) contains the idea of endurance. We need to learn to bear up under the suffering that will be ours in this life.”^[2] [emphasis mine]

Did you see that?  Hope is a necessary part of what it means to be a Christian. 

Father, enable us by your grace to “count it all joy” when we “meet trials of various kinds, for [we] know that the testing of [our] faith produces steadfastness.” We thank you that your plan is to have “steadfastness have its full effect, that [we] may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4, ESV)

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[1] Adolphe Charles Adam | Bart Millard | John Sullivan Dwight | Pete Kipley | Placide Cappeau

© Words: Public Domain

^[2] Moo, D. J. (2002). Encountering the book of Romans : a theological survey (p. 139). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.