What is your greatest hope? I would contend that your greatest hope is to be loved completely by someone who understands you, accepts you as you are, and forgives you when you are in need of it. Someone who loves you with abandon without reservation. May I introduce you to Jesus the Christ – the God Who loves you today just that way? He designed you, created you, sustains you, and understands you. He accepts you as you are when you come to him with a humble penitent heart. He forgives every sin and wipes away every stain if you will only let Him in. He loves you with abandon and without reservation as he demonstrated that first Christmas long ago when his tiny helpless form was wrapped in strips of cloth and laid in the hay.
This is the hope we proclaim this first Sunday of Advent: the hope of forgiveness: the hope of being among the living forgiven! Are you living in this hope today? Are you forgiven? Have you opened the door of your heart to the Christ: JESUS who came to save you from your sins? He stands at the door knocking. Won’t you let forgiveness in?
