What is Christmas to you? What does it mean? Does it mean Hope and Peace and Joy and Faith? Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards Men? Is it about Santa and Presents and the Smiling Faces of Children?

The candles for the four Sundays of Advent vary in meaning and tradition, but nearly universally the first candle is the candle of Hope.

Christmas Starts with Hope.

A Hope that is deep and wide and abiding.

A Hope that follows you the whole year through, if you let it.

The Hope of Christ.

The Hope that God had a plan from the very beginning to bring forth Christ. And so He also has had a plan from the very beginning for our lives as well.

The first candle is also known as the Prophets Candle. Because this shines a light on how far-reaching the Hope of Christ is.

When mankind fell into darkness it could be seen as a loss of hope forever, but even in that moment Christ was prophesied.

And I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman,[Eve] and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

There are so many prophesies of His coming. So many Promises. And He fulfilled them completely. And here is the Hope I want you to take with you today. You see God also has promises for His people, and He will fulfill them too.

He knew everything about you from the beginning of time and He is not surprised by anything you’ve said or done.

He knew we’d mess up. So He answered our need for a Savior. He wove the story of Christ in from the very beginning.

We can be confident that He wove your story long ago as well. That He knew where your road would go. And that He has a plan, if you just reach out to Him.

God has gifts for you this Christmas Season. Unwrap them friend. The first gift is Hope. In Him is Hope! Hold onto it! The Hope of Christ is yours and no one can take it from you!

Merry Christmas!

Joy Aletheia Stevens

Photo Credit: Advent candles by Guigo .eu (CC BY-SA 2.0)