When I look back to my childhood I remember the excitement of the night before Christmas. We all waited in wonder. Clearly, we had hope for tomorrow. My four brothers dreamed of bicycles, bb guns, and toy trucks. I wanted stuffed animals, an Easy Bake Oven, and Barbies. Unfortunately, more times than I can count, my Barbie found herself strapped to the back of a mini bike. (It could have been any brother, but Doug was definitely a creative schemer.) For Barbie’s sake and mine, I changed what I asked for the following Christmas. But on Christmas Eve I still knew, “There was hope for tomorrow.”
The shepherds of long ago looked forward to a new day when they received an unexpected visit deep in the night. “ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:9-12, NIV)
Even in the midst of our troubles, we can stand firm in the land of hope. The God who promised the shepherds a Messiah on that long ago night, still remains faithful today. Consistently, “The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases: His compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NET) Moreover, we can look to the Heavens, and have hope for tomorrow.
Things to do today:
- Meditate on your favorite promise of God.
- Listen to song: Mercies (New Every Morning) Matt Redman
One of the reasons I like hiking so much is because you know as you move along a trail there’s more ahead. It makes me hope for the next bend in the trail. Recently I hiked with my niece Tasha in Phoenix, Arizona. We traversed smooth, sandy paths and sharp-edged trails. We even climbed over 4′ boulders on our way to the summit of a mountain. Sometimes a curve on the mountain trail displayed a vista view of the valley below. Other times we’d see ‘The World’s Tallest Cactus,’ (in my opinion), or the dramatic incline of the trail ahead. Continually, we relished in the anticipation of seeing something amazing.
The weather in this part of Ohio has been unusually warm for this time of year. Normally we experience temperatures in the 20’s and 30’s with various amounts of snow and wind. But this week brought open windows and fresh air, culminating with a day of sunshine and 70 degrees. People couldn’t help slipping into t-shirts and heading outside. Spirits lifted as the gray days of winter seemed to fade away. Unfortunately, the temperatures dropped and the winds picked up overnight, and flying by my window right now I see snow. It can be a little discouraging to feel spring so close only to have it snatched right back. But guess what? As the wind sways the trees and snow sprinkles my landscaping, peeking out of the soil is a spring flower. Do you know it’s name? It’s called hope.
Where does hope come from? As I was pondering that question, I came across the lyrics to a Christmas song by a group called the Sidewalk Prophets. Their song ‘Hope Was Born This Night’ explains it better than I can. Here’s a portion of the lyrics. See what you think:
As a teacher, I need certain credentials on my resume. An employer would be interested in my knowledge of curriculum, instructional practices, and classroom management and discipline. On the other hand, two of my brothers are carpenters and their resumes look incredibly different from mine. I’m sure they wouldn’t be the least bit interested in state standards. And trust me, you don’t want me holding a power tool. (Let’s just say there may have been a time when damage was done…) There’s definitely a skillset to every profession.
A very unusual phenomenon happened this week in our area-a number of schools were cancelled for the whole day because of fog. The adults were certainly surprised but the kids were nothing but excited. Not snow, not freezing rain, but fog kept them at home! Kids love an extra day off from school. Could it happen again? Some teachers told the students it’s unlikely but the students refused to believe it. Why? They were filled with hope. 
None of us like to be kept waiting. We are easily frustrated by long check out lines, slow traffic patterns, and even the popcorn we just put in the microwave seems to takes too long. But there’s a group of people who know a little something about waiting: American farmers. They prepare the land, sow the seed, irrigate, fertilize, and then patiently wait. I know a few farmers and I’ve never seen one try to make it rain, (but I would absolutely video tape it if they did). Farmers know what to do to get good results: work hard every day, put in a FULL day, use techniques to ensure success, then step back and wait for the harvest. From Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Let’s face it, farmers know how to wait.