A child born out of wedlock. Poverty. Families who don’t stick together in tough times. The word of God has been in a state of decline. People claiming that the end of the world is coming … where is God in the midst of such a world? Doesn’t He desire better? This is the world that Jesus was born into. Luke chapter 1 and 2 give us insight into a world without God’s Christ. While our dress, customs and technology have changed a great deal, perhaps humanity has not changed so much. Today, like then people wondered when God was coming to fix it all. They imagined a future that would have to be fought for militarily in order for God’s will to be done. They imagined when God showed up it would be glorious, bloody, and dramatic. Instead a young woman gave birth to a son and named him Jesus.
God works now as He did then. We may want God to rush in to do whatever it takes for righteousness to conquer immediately, but he gives us Jesus. When Jesus came as a baby God was showing that he still had a future in store for his people just as he had promised through the prophet Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). When Jesus was first seen there was now something certain to hope in, and people could know for sure that in due time God would let us see our hope fulfilled. This month we will prepare for and celebrate that we have seen Jesus. We know Jesus. He is still our hope, he is still our future.
I pray that you will look in the places that cause you concern and perhaps even fear, and realize that Jesus is here. His presence means that things will change, and through that change, things will get better. As Christmas approaches I invite you to come to services here at Trinity, and to share in the hope and the future that God has promised.
With hope,
