Hope Fulfilled
November 30, 2021
As Christmas is rapidly approaching, today’s topic is very understandable – especially when one reflects on the often starry-eyed wonder most children have during the season. Now that Thanksgiving is over, our family has embarked upon our usual Christmas season tradition of watching Christmas movies . . . not the Hallmark kind, but rather the humorous kind, movies like “The Santa Clause” trilogy, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Elf,” and others. These usually make our list of must watch every year.
Most all movies involving Santa Clause involve two major themes from a child’s perspective . . . (1) faith that Santa is real and (2) hope that Santa will bring everything he or she wants. In watching “The Santa Clause” movie again, I found myself laughing at the humor of Tim Allen. On his first night of performing the activities of Ole Saint Nick, reaching into a collapsed bag on the floor, he pulls out a full-size kayak and oar to leave under a tree. Interestingly, if we were to reach into scripture, we might find a similar activity taking place. Hebrews 11 says that faith is the substance of things not seen, the evidence of things hoped for, and that “by faith, we understand that the world was framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made from things which are visible.” Yet, when we arrive in the presence of God Almighty, we will no longer have faith, because that which was at one time unseen will then be seen.
With regard to hope, as expectant trust for the future, children hope for presents under the Christmas tree. Once Christmas comes, either the hope is fulfilled and the children no longer hope for presents, or the hope is depleted, because they did not get the presents for which they were wishing. In “The Santa Clause,” Neil and Laura each talk about how they stopped believing in Santa because they did not get the presents for which they hoped.
With regard to our hope for eternal life, when we fully place our trust in Jesus, it will not be like a present at Christmas time. There is not a “possibility” of not receiving eternal life, but rather an assurance that Jesus has already provided. We will one day fully know just as we are already known. On that day, the only thing left will be an eternal love that will exist, for all things will be fulfilled . . . hope and faith will no longer be necessary . . . and oh, what a day that will be!!!
