the promise of Christmas

Every year, the Christmas Candlelight Service is a service not to be missed. There is something just so beautiful and peaceful, and despite all Christmas traffic and planning and cleaning and any other holiday madness, it brings back Christmas to what it should be.

The 4 candles lit around the center Christ candle represent Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. So as Christmas sets in here on West Coast, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on each advent promise. Each promise made is an everlasting and unconditional gift, given without limits, expectations or liabilities. In a world where everything comes with conditions or fine lines, it becomes nearly impossible to fathom why or even how such priceless gifts could be so freely given. 

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. I won't speak for anyone but myself but I really want more of that in my life. I want to live every day as a hopeful, peaceful, joyful and loving person.

I want to live with hope; the promise that surpasses human optimism and desire. Hope is the eternal promise that God has got this and we have got something to live for. 

I want to live with peace; the promise of an eternal calm that surpasses that chaos of life. It is a promise that no matter what goes wrong, there is a plan and a purpose. 

I want to live with joy; the promise that supersedes happiness. Happiness is temporary, it comes and goes, but joy remains. 

I want to live with love; the promise that when all else fails, God still loves me. 

As Christmas comes around and the advent candles are lit up, it becomes so easy to remember these promises. But in 24 hours, Christmas will end and the world will go back to hustle and bustle of every day life. But these promises, they don't go anywhere. They remain a gift to be opened and experienced 365 days of the year, at every hour, minute and second. They don't cost a thing and you don't have to read any fine print or write in your social security number. Christ offers these gifts not just at Christmas time, but for a lifetime. 

I have been distracted with life's ups and downs and that happens, but what I didn't want to miss was what Christmas was all about. It is about the promise made and the promises given. The promise of hope, peace, joy and love. Gifts with value beyond measure given to us all. 

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  
{Isaiah 9:6}