A Hope Eternal - Advent DevotionalНамуна

Today is Christmas! Today our four-week prayerful anticipation culminates in the celebration of His first coming and the eager anticipation of His final appearance. Today, our hearts are enlarged to receive Him anew, and our hope is firmly established that He will come again. He is our eternal hope, consistent joy, never-ending love, and peace without end.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah (the anointed One of God) and said that He would be born as a child and Son and that the government would be on His shoulders. Later Isaiah would clarify that He would lead as a little child (Isaiah 11:6). This prophecy foreshadowed that the coming Messiah would not be like the conquering tyrants the people of Judea suffered under; He would come as a humble and lowly baby in a manger. Isaiah further describes the nature of His rule—He will be called a wonderful counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

Christmas can be a difficult and painful time for many people. This time of year can highlight personal loss, broken relationships, and unbearable mistakes. However, the Holy Scriptures declare that this Child was born for us, this Son is given to us, and that He is a Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God. The eternal hope we celebrate today is that Christ, who is all wisdom, brings light, deliverance, and hope to the darkest areas of our lives. He is the mighty God for whom nothing is too hard or difficult (Luke 1:37).

This Child, born for us, and this Son, who was given to us, is also called Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Like His everlasting Father, Christ loves us with eternal love. Like His Father, Christ has promised that He would never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). In the midst of a world at war with itself, Christ comes as the Prince of Peace. He is the only One that can bring lasting peace to our hearts, in our families, and between nations. We ardently long for His final coming, where He will bring His peace to rule for all eternity.

Today, we celebrate our Prince of Peace's first and final coming. We open our hearts to receive Him anew and cry out for His return. We rest in joyous peace, knowing that our hope is eternally secured and firm in Him. Christ was born, and Christ will come again! Come, Lord Jesus!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, we celebrate Your coming into our dark world and broken lives. You are our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, [and] Prince of Peace.” You are our eternal hope, consistent joy, never-ending love, and peace without end. Come into our world. We eagerly await Your final coming. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Corné J. Bekker, D. Litt. et Phil., serves as the dean for the Regent University School of Divinity.