Day 1 - Hope

I hope for many things. 
I hope the Patriots win this weekend. 
I hope for a snowy winter in Vermont. 
I hope that nobody in our family gets the CoronaVirus. 
I realize that each one of these worldly wishes may or may not happen, but I still hope that they do. 

There is another, a better, kind of hope. 
It is biblical hope, the desire for something unseen but with the sure and certain expectation of its fulfillment.  This most precious hope comes from Jesus Christ to Christians who have saving faith by sincerely believing in him.  The death of Jesus on the cross and his subsequent resurrection defeated his death and our deaths by atoning for all of our past, present and future sins.  What a precious gift is this undeserved blessing that promises us eternal life in heaven beyond our earthly years. 

As we anticipate and await our celebration of the birth of Christ, let us praise the Lord and thank God for our eternal hope.   

- Bill Cooley