The Advent Adventure- 23 Days to Christmas: Hope Has A Name
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Titus 2:13 (KJV)
When you find yourself in a hopeless situation, you’re really in a good place! I know that sounds so counterintuitive but it’s really true. Often it takes coming to the end of our rope before we find real hope! When writing to a discouraged young pastor named, Titus, whom the Apostle Paul had led to Jesus and left on the island of Crete for an impossible task, Paul said, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13-14 (KJV) I believe he was telling this discouraged young pastor not to give up but to look up! Look up for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ! He was saying that hope is not a feeling! Hope is a person! Hope has a name! His name is JESUS! He is our Blessed Hope! His glorious appearing was at that first Advent and one day there will be a second Advent! He’s coming again! Keep looking up! Don’t give up – Look up!
Maybe you’re thinking, well that may have been encouraging for Titus. He was a pastor, but you don’t know what I’ve done. You haven’t seen the sin and ugliness in my life. I’m beyond hope! NEVER! Just read the next verse in Titus 2:14 (NLT), “He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Paul reminded Titus and reminds us today that our hope is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life:
to FREE us from every kind of sin,
to CLEANSE us,
to MAKE us His very own people
Unwrap the gift of Hope this Christmas! HOPE really does have a name and that name is JESUS! No wonder Paul calls Him our Blessed Hope! Hope isn’t a feeling or wishful thinking! Hope is a person! Put your trust in Him! He will never let you down. He will free you from the burden of your past, cleanse your heart from every filthy sin and make you His very own child! When that happens, like the discouraged young pastor, Titus, you won’t give up, you’ll look up and become totally committed to doing God’s will!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.