The Prophet’s Message of Hope
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
Memory Verse
“Those who walked in the dark have seen a bright light. And it shines upon everyone who lives in the land of darkest shadows.”
Have you ever used a nightlight?
Nightlights help us fall asleep at night, because they let us know that the imagined spooky slime monster in the corner is really just a pile of dirty clothes. Even though we know that there are no monsters in our room, sometimes a little bit of light comforts us when we start to feel afraid.
The prophet Isaiah talked about how light shining in the darkness gave people comfort. We know Isaiah 9:2 is about Jesus coming to earth and dying on the cross for our sins. How amazing is that! The hope we have is a person! He hears you when you pray. He speaks to you through the Bible. He loves you. He cares for you. He likes you. He is strong enough to give you hope. He is gentle enough to care for you. He is patient enough to always be with you.
Sometimes we might feel afraid that the batteries in our flashlight might grow weak, or the bulb might burn out in our nightlight and we will be in the dark again. John 1:5 tells us that the darkness has not overcome the light of Jesus. How comforting is that! Not only is the hope we have a person, but he is always able to shine light into whatever we are going through!
Put a flashlight somewhere you will see it every day this week to remind yourself of the hope we have in Jesus.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for the prophet’s message about hope. Thank you for sending Jesus to earth and for the hope that his life, death, and resurrection give me. May I feel him near me as I go through this day. Amen.Related Resources
Philip Vander Windt
Philip VanderWindt is the pastor at Champlain Valley Christian Reformed Church. In his free time he enjoys building “tall-tall towers” with his kids, analyzing worldviews of films and music with his wife, photographing the beauty of God’s creation, dabbling in leathercraft and woodwork, and writing.