"Joy, Peace, and Abounding in Love"

Merry Christmas, my friends! In our Christmas card this year, my husband, Brian, and I chose the verse Romans 15:13.

“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

Paul's prayer for the Christians in Rome found in this verse is often used in churches today as a closing benediction. It is a powerful statement about what God can do in the heart and mind of every Christian.

Paul makes this request of the God of hope, another beautiful name for God. He is the only lasting source of hope we have for meaning in this life and for a life beyond death. Paul asks that the God of hope fill these believers with all joy and peace "in believing" or as they trust in Him.

In other words, Paul is not asking God to simply dump joy and peace into their hearts without cause. He is asking that as these believers trust in God, their faith will bring joy and peace to their hearts. In other words, help them to keep believing so that they can experience joy and peace.

Finally, Paul asks that they might have this joy and peace in believing so that they may abound with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul is asking God to give them more than just regular human hopefulness. He is asking for supernatural, Holy Spirit-powered hopefulness.

What a fantastic prayer to ask God for others or for ourselves! What more could we wish for other believers than to be filled with joy and peace and abounding in hope?

Friends, more than anything this Christmas, I pray this for you! May you be filled with joy and peace and abounding in hope!

Merry Christmas & Many Blessings!