Advent Reading Hope: 1 John 3:2
Standing in the doorway, I remember the snow falling. I was only 3 or 4 years old. It was the first time I had ever seen snow. The date was January 19, 1977.
The date was easy to remember because I live in central Florida, and January 1977 was the last time it snowed here. But every year in January, if it gets really cold, I hope that it will snow again.
But I have no guarantee that it will ever snow in Tampa again. It’s more like a wish.
Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.
I John 3:2
Christmas is a season filled with hope, but our hope is anchored to a promise. We celebrate the joy and peace that Jesus brought to the world. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Jesus was God and lived with us.
Unlike my wish that it will someday snow in Tampa, we have true hope and confidence in Jesus. We know that He is preparing a place for us. In 1 John 3:2, we are reminded that one day Jesus will return. He will make all things new again, and our tears will be wiped away (Revelation 21:5). Sin will be no more, and we will be like Him.
The hope of Christmas is more than a story about a baby being born in Bethlehem. The hope of Christmas is Jesus, and it’s a life-changing message if we believe.
