Day Eight: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Reading (by Erin Mashaw)
Born that man no more may die. That’s a pretty big promise, isn’t it?

A few months ago, my dad passed away somewhat unexpectedly. So this Christmas season feels a little like a ball of tangled-up and often-conflicting emotions. I love the joy of the season, but it’s quickly followed by the gut-punch of the absence of someone I love.

Death broke in and disrupted, destabilized, and destroyed what we had. But death will always feel like that. Death will always feel like an intruder, because we were not made to die. We weren’t made for sorrow. We were made for joy.

One of the most influential Christian authors of our time, C.S. Lewis, said, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

Our time here on earth and our time spent suffering will be such a small part of our forever existence because we were made for more. We were made to live, but not just here. We were made to live forever with our Father in heaven.

Paul, a persecutor of Christians who became a Jesus follower himself wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

It’s hard to see past where we are. We can’t see it with our eyes. It requires hope and trusting what our eyes can’t see.

Jesus came so we didn’t have to die… not in any way that’s final. At some point, all of our earthly bodies will fail, but because Jesus took our place—died on the cross, conquered death, and we can live forever with him.

What stands between you and real, genuine hope this year? What can you do this week to remind your heart to place your hope in Jesus?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, this season can be really difficult for so many different reasons. Thank you for the hope I have in Jesus. Help me to live in that hope today.