Christ: The Treasure of Our HeartsSample

The birth of Christ is very significant for believers because without his birth, there would be no death, and without his death, there would be no hope for our glorious future. Just as all of creation looks forward to the day of its glorious freedom from decay, we, too, long for the day of our adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies. But unlike all of creation, we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of this glorious future. So, we don’t have to wait until we literally see this glorious future before we believe. We hope for what we do not see because we have a foretaste of it through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to fully understand and treasure the person and work of Christ.

As we yield to the move of the Holy Spirit this season, may our perspective of Christmas not be as that of the world. May this season be all about the hope we now have in Christ. The songwriter articulates this well, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness...On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” May our hope and joy this Advent be built not on any worldly Christmas traditions but on the saving purpose for which Mary’s Boy Child, Jesus Christ, came into this world.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the hope we now have because of Christ. As we patiently wait for our adoption as sons and for the redemption of our bodies, may this hope be the basis for our joy this season. Amen

Greg Kame, Ph.D., serves as a part-time assistant professor for the Regent University School of Divinity.