2022 12 25

Good morning.

Today Christians all over the world are remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. John says this about Christ. "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."

(John 1:4).

Jesus is the hope of the world. Followers of Christ "have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe."

(1 Timothy 4:10)

Yesterday, Nicky Gumbell, in his daily devotional, reminded us that:

• We must put our hope in the right place. "Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God." (Psalms 146:5)

• We must look forward with hope. Bishop Lesslie Newbigin puts it like this. "The horizon for the Christian is, "He shall come again" and "We look for the coming of the Lord". That is what males it possible to be hopeful.

• We must never give up on hope. The prophet Ezra reminds us that no matter how badly we mess up, there is still hope for us. "We have been unfaithful to our God ... but in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel." (Ezra 10:2)

For followers of Christ the reality of Christmas is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

From Daphne and I, our Christmas prayer for you is this: "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)

Blessings.

Mike and Daphne