Very good story about HOPE

Milan · 12-16-2002, 12:17 PM

I received a Christmas card yesterday, and thought I would share the message with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A Reason for Hope by Scott Walker
We sometimes forget that the Christmas story begins with a failing old preist named Zecariah and his barren wife Elizabeth. For years they had tried to have children, without success.
Now, while he is carrying out his duty as a priest for perhaps the last time, an angel appears to the old man. He is told Elizabeth will bear a child who will herald the promised Messiah. All old Zechariah can do is slump against a temple wall in disbelief. But in spite of his skepticism, it happened just as promised. The boy was born and grew up to be John the Baptist. And he did indeed announce that Jesus was the Messiah.
Why does the Christmas story begin this way? Why bring up the glorious curtain on a feeble man and an old barren woman? Perhaps it is because this story heralds a major theme of Christmas: Hope is never dead if God is truly alive!
Do you have a dream, a vision, an idea you've been longing to give birth to, but nothing has happened? Have you been waiting for events to give your dreams reality, only to have your hope turn to resignation? The story of Christmas is that it is never too late. God's timing is just not always our timing.
When the Apostle Paul reflected on the events of Christ's birth, he wrote, "when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatioans 4:4) What a wonderful phrase, the fullness of time. God will not leave our lives barren and empty, but in His time will bring to birth in us a joy that will point toward his reality.
Let us hold onto hope.

HISIRISHGEM · 12-16-2002, 02:09 PM

Praise God!!

tomar1017 · 12-17-2002, 04:04 PM

That was such a wonderful post...Sometimes we all need a little reminding..

Thank you!