December 4

December 4

READ

Romans 15:12-13   The root of Jesse will appear, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in him. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

DEVOTION

Many times we use the word “hope” as a verb. For example, I hope to one day get a new car… I hope my favorite team wins the game. In today’s scripture “hope” is used not as something we manufacture but as Someone who will come to us. Most of us would agree that it's hard to wait and see what the outcome of a situation is going to be. But in this season of Advent, we can rejoice and celebrate the fact that Jesus, the Root of Jesse, did indeed come to us. The God of Hope was born to help us fix things we can’t fix ourselves. He is our hope for the uncertainties, the tiredness, the unanswered prayers. Our promise of joy and peace doesn’t mean we won’t have problems, but it does give us a way to change how we move through them. Our hope is a confident expectation grounded in God’s faithfulness.

REFLECT

 What things do you need God to help you fix? Are you willing to let him enter those places and help you quietly rebuild the trust, give you strength, and offer you the joy and peace that He wants you to have?

PRAY

Lord God, help us to see daily that you are the giver of all things. Help us to look for joy and peace in all of our circumstances.