Hope—a simple word yet filled with profound meaning. Hope is powerful, shaping the way we see the world and the choices we make. It’s an essential part of every person’s life. But what do you place your hope in? Relationships? Family? Your career? Your health? Your wealth?
These arenas of hope can bring great joy and fulfillment, yet they can also lead to heartache and despair. A broken relationship. The death of a loved one. The loss of a job. A cancer diagnosis. A bad financial investment. These moments remind us that many of the things we place our hope in are fragile, temporary, and not guaranteed.
When we speak of hope, we often mean it as a desire or a wish. We hope our favorite team wins the game. We hope for health and healing. A child hopes to find a special gift under the Christmas tree.
But have you considered another kind of hope? A hope that isn’t a fleeting wish but a certainty, a promise that transforms how we endure life’s challenges. This is the hope of Christmas—a hope anchored in the timeless story of God’s love for humanity.
A Song That Captures the Thrill of Hope
One of the most beloved Christmas carols, O Holy Night, beautifully captures this deeper hope. The line “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” reminds us of the profound joy that true hope can bring.
Composed in France in 1847 and later translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight in 1855, O Holy Night became more than just a Christmas song—it became an anthem of hope. Dwight, a music critic, Unitarian minister and passionate abolitionist, emphasized the themes of freedom and divine love in his translation, making the carol a rallying cry for the abolitionist movement during the era of the Civil War.
This song’s beautiful melody, powerful lyrics, and message of hope continued to inspire as it became the first song ever broadcast on the radio. On Christmas Eve in 1906, Reginald Fessenden read the nativity story from the Gospel of Luke and played O Holy Night on his violin, sharing its message of hope with a listening world.
A Hope You Can Count On
The hope described in O Holy Night isn’t fleeting or conditional. It points us back to the Christmas story—the birth of Jesus Christ in a humble manger in Bethlehem. His arrival wasn’t just the beginning of a miraculous life; it was the arrival of a Savior, bringing hope that endures.
This is a hope not dependent on circumstances, wealth, or relationships. It’s a hope that remains steady in the face of loss, pain, or uncertainty. The hope of Christmas is rooted in God’s love for the world, demonstrated through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
When the carol declares, “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,” it invites us all to share in that hope—a hope that offers peace and joy regardless of life’s storms.
A Gift for You
As you celebrate this Christmas season, take a moment to reflect on where you place your hope. The gift of hope offered through Jesus Christ is one that transforms lives, transcends circumstances, and brings eternal joy. This is the hope of Christmas: a certainty we can count on, a thrill that causes the weary world to rejoice.
No matter what this year has brought, may the hope of Christmas fill your heart with peace, joy, and love.
Merry Christmas!
Written by Sam McKeen
