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Read: Romans 15:4-13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

The Best Is Coming

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What gifts are you hoping for this Christmas? Did you make a list? Do you know for sure you will get them? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s called uncertain hope. You hope for it, but you’re not 100% sure.

God gives us a different kind of hope. In Romans 15:13 , the apostle Paul wrote: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God’s hope isn’t like hoping for a gift you might get—it’s confident and certain. You can count on it! Hope is expecting good things to come because God keeps his promises. How do we know the best is coming? We look at the stories in the Bible.

• Abraham waited a long time for God’s promise of a son—and God kept it.


• God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

All these stories tell us one thing: God keeps his promises.

At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest promise kept: Jesus came to be our Savior. And because Jesus kept his promise to die for our sins, we don’t need to be afraid when he comes back as our judge.

Advent isn’t just about waiting for Christmas—it’s about looking forward to Jesus’ return with confident hope. No fear, only peace. No worry, only joy. Fill your heart with the good news of Jesus and remember: the best is yet to come!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for always keeping your promises. Send your Holy Spirit to fill us with joy and peace in Jesus. Forgive us for the times we forget to trust you. Help us to look forward with hope to Jesus’ return. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What gifts are you hoping to get for Christmas?


• Why is Jesus the best gift of all?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• How does reading the Bible give you hope?


• What promises does Jesus give you for the future?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Are there times or things that make you feel sad or discouraged? What are they?


• How does hoping in Jesus help you feel better when you’re discouraged?

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