The famous poet Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul/And sings the tune without the words/And never stops at all.” That sounds great, but sometimes hope seems unperched in our soul, with no song to sing. This Christmas season may feel like that for you—devoid of loved ones or empty for lack of joy, with no identifiable cause. 

At first glance, these verses in Revelation 20 seem devoid of hope. “Every person and everything” feels hopeless. Every person who ever lived—rich or poor, small or great—death claimed them all. Everything they had ever done—not just some things, but every single one—made known. Adam and Eve stitched fig leaves to cover their disobedience, but in the end, no one can hide from God’s judgment. There is no such thing as a “secret sin.” If God reveals everything we’ve done, how can there be hope? 

Because of the first advent, we have hope for the second advent. When we trusted in Jesus, he covered us with his blood and wrote our name in his book of life. The Son of God became human for us to “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). 

The Christmas season reminds us that hope has come. Hope perches in our soul and sings because “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5).

Jesus came to be our hope. 

In the midst of whatever brokenness you are currently facing, you can have hope this Christmas. The reality of this coming day should not push us into the depths of despair but into a deeper sense of gratitude for our blessed Savior. His birth brought hope. His death bought our redemption. His resurrection assures us of our own. “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight” (“O Little Town of Bethlehem”). Who are you placing your hope in? 

Respond

Who in your community needs to hear this good news of Jesus’ birth and return? Spend time praying for an opportunity to share the gospel with them, and when it comes, tell them about Jesus. Listen to “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and place your hope in Jesus.