Advent Devotional – December 10

The audacity of hope

“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.”

The actor Christopher Reeve, who became a quadriplegic because of an equestrian accident, once shared this quote. Reeves, who went from playing Superman to an individual who spent the latter part of his life in a wheelchair and under the care of others, had this totally optimistic belief that things would be better, and he worked tirelessly to make them so.

His statement makes us realize that hope is a state of mind, a relationship between what is and what we believe can be. By definition, hope is “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.”

Hope that we could win a war against England led to our freedom as a nation. Hope in the fact that America could change led Martin Luther King to bring justice to an entire race of people. It is through hope that many great things in our world have happened and continue to do so.

What a blessing it is that we, as Christians, have the hope of the promise given to us by Jesus. In Matthew 12:21, we read, “And his name will be the hope of all the world.” When we are down, when we lose a loved one, or when we are ill, we always have the hope that is promised to us by God. Hope that a true and honest belief in God can and will make things better.

Keep in mind that, if you are reading this, you are alive and communing with God. If that’s not something to smile about and give you hope, then I don’t know what is!

Dear God, our one true hope comes only from the belief in your son, Jesus Christ, and his promise of eternal life. It is through your power and might that we live in the abundance of hope for the future. For this, we thank you, and humbly accept this wonderful gift of love. Amen.

Frank Goodnight