The Thrill of Hope

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11  


My online dictionary described hope this way. “For those who believe in Jesus, we will not perish but are promised the hope of forgiveness, eternal salvation, and everlasting life. We experience God's constant presence, power, and love through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.” What a thrill it is to be called a child of God. May God grant each of us the thrill of hope that is found in Jesus Christ this Christmas! Can you recall the last time you felt the thrill of hope? Try to imagine going four hundred years, the time between the book of Malachi in the Old Testament and the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament without a word from God. Then suddenly, angels appear in the still of night with the glorious news that the Christ child was born. The thrill of hope describes the sense that night provided then and the good news today, the thrill of hope remains even to this day!

The words “a thrill of hope” come from the song Holy Night. As you read the lyrics below let the birth of Jesus into the world sink deep within. Try to imagine if you can what it was like in that moment when our Savior was born and how the news began to spread that God Himself was now with us and the world as it was known then was about to change forever as with the birth of Jesus came the birth of all things possible because hope was born!

Holy Night

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels' voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine o night
O night divine

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels' voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine o night
O night divine (song ends)

Jesus birth provides for us a thrill of hope in that all the prophetic promises of God regarding the Messiah and our salvation, restoration, regeneration and glorification are coming true! With every thought of what Jesus birth brings with it, a greater thrill of victory is realized. Christmas has never been about what mankind could do for God but rather what God in Christ can do for those who hope in Him. Christmas is an opportunity for us to celebrate the thrill of hope once again.

Has the joy of Christmas evaded you with all thats going on in the world today? Has all the commercialism of the holiday robbed you of its cheer? If so, know you are not alone. There are millions of people around the world who are out or on line searching for the perfect elusive gift this Christmas, one that could never be found under a tree but is available, especially for those who are searching but have become tired and weary of looking. The gift of God is the promise of His presence. The presence of Jesus is God’s present that He has gifted to the whole world. Christmas is not about stuff its about a relationship with the God of heaven, one that had been severed by sin and was now being mended as God sent His one and only Son to be born. The gift of Christmas is the thrill of hope that causes a weary world to rejoice.

It might be warm outside but it is the Christmas season once again. Let me encourage you to put on some Christmas worship music today and sit back and close your eyes. Get caught up in the moment as a thrill of hope comes over you like a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees and hear in your own heart of hearts the angels voices singing His praises and don’t be surprised if you find yourself joining right in, singing “O night divine, O night when Christ was born” almost as if you knew the words all along. And know this, you are never too old to experience the thrill of hope.  



"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.”

Psalm 39:7  


I LOVE YOU!