Christmas Devotional | 2018 - Day 24
Hope
By Ben Lovvorn
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
Ephesians 1:18
Christmas is the season of hope, of new beginnings. It has certainly been a season of new beginnings in our home. Three of our four sons were born in December. In fact, Jack was born on Christmas Day and Colt was born on Christmas Eve! As we celebrate their birthdays each year, I am awestruck that God sent His only Son to be born as a baby boy, and ultimately to give His life on a cross to pay for our sins and redeem our souls.
While the story of Christ goes far beyond the night a baby was born and laid in a manger, we cannot ignore the significance of that one moment in history. The Son of God entered the world surrounded by livestock in a small town that was occupied by Roman rule. He came as a baby—fully God and fully human. His birth brought hope—hope that people of the day did not realize or understand.
Jesus came to earth with a long-term strategy to secure our eternal salvation. He could have immediately rescued His chosen people from Roman rule. He could have ruled as an earthly king, beloved by all because He saved them from oppressors. But Jesus didn’t come to offer fleeting hope in a broken world where circumstances constantly change. He came to offer hope eternally—hope for today and hope forever.
Pause for a moment and think about that. One moment in the garden shifted the course of humanity, but God had a plan to restore and redeem. On one night, thousands of years later, He would send His only Son. A baby in a manager signified the hope of the world. That baby grew into a man who solidified that hope by His death and resurrection.
Christmas is truly a season to celebrate eternal hope. Not only does the day signify the birth of that new life in a manager two thousand years ago, but it serves as a reminder that for those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ, we also have new life. We have a future. We have a hope. And we have been called to share that hope with as many people as possible.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
“Angels from the Realms of Glory” as performed by the First Dallas Choir and Orchestra
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Parris and I take our boys on a Christmas Polar Bear Hunt. I design a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt, and we drive all over Dallas checking things off the list. The hunt concludes when the boys—who are armed to the teeth—find a stuffed polar bear that I have hidden somewhere.
What is your favorite Christmas dish or drink?
The chocolate chip cookies and milk we leave out for Santa
Author Bio
Ben Lovvorn
Ben Lovvorn
Executive Pastor
Ben serves by leading and overseeing the ministries and operations of First Baptist Dallas as the Executive Pastor. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University and a B.B.A. from Hardin-Simmons University. He and his wife, Parris, have four boys.
