“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14).

Hope is traditionally one of the themes of Advent. In fulfilling the promise of the first Advent of our Savior, God demonstrates his love for us and promises us the second Advent during which Jesus will return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to reign in power and glory (Revelation 19:11-16).

My real understanding of biblical hope came to me as a graduate student at seminary. I accepted Christ as my Savior around my tenth birthday and have always had a relationship with Jesus. However, I admit that I have also been a child of my culture and not immune to teachings of nonbiblical writers. I became infatuated with worldly definitions of success, love, power, comfort, entertainment, and security. The world view that is prevalent in our culture today denies the existence of absolute truth and good versus evil, and it encourages us to value worldly pleasures over the desire to please God.* These views have so infiltrated our thinking that they seem like truth—at least until really examined through the lens of the Scriptures. That is what Seminary did for me—it opened my eyes to the Truth. And here is the most important Truth that I learned (deep down I knew this, but I had really let the noise of current culture dilute it until it just wasn’t even obvious): Christ Is Our Only Hope in Life and Death.

In this context, hope is not “wishful thinking,” as in “I hope so.”  The hope we have in Christ is defined as “confident expectation.” When we say, “Christ is our only hope in life and death” we are not saying that maybe Christ is the answer to our problems. No! We are instead saying that we can confidently believe what Jesus tells us in John 14:6 when He says: “I am THE way and THE truth and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Hope is believing that Jesus is who he says he is and that he can do what he says he can do. Biblical hope is built on faith (Hebrews 11:1).

I am convinced that through Christ, we can redefine what it means to be joyful, successful, and secure; and to know that true joy, success, and security come from ^“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

We know that Jesus not only authored our faith and through the gift of the Holy Spirit helps us to persevere and grow in our faith, He also seals our faith. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ(Philippians 1:6). “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). This, my brothers, and sisters in Christ, is why we have hope. This is why our mission at Nashville Rescue Mission is “Hope for Today, Hope for Tomorrow, and Hope for Eternity.” This is why “Hope Lives Here” at Nashville Rescue Mission. This isn’t just a nice sentiment; it is literally why we exist. Just like the old gospel hymn “Rescue the Perishing,” the mission of the Mission is to proclaim the hope we have in Christ and His power to save. Offering shelter, food, clothing, case management, and programs are merely a means to that end.

In the first Chaplain’s Corner of Advent, I wrote about the Promise of a Savior. Then I wrote about the Peace and Joy that we have in knowing that Jesus is our Savior. Hope is what unites us with the Promise, and Peace and Joy are the resulting fruits of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. My prayer for you, as we are ending 2025 and moving into 2026, is this: “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).

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (lyrics by Edward Mote)

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
And I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness seems to hide His face, 
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, his covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found!
Dressed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

In Christ,

Judy

*For more information on this topic, read: https://www.barna.com/research/competing-worldviews-influence-todays-christians/

Luke tells us about the birth of Jesus: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.” I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’” (Luke 2:8-12).

Joy—the angel says that he brings good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Just as we use the word “joy” often in our daily language, there are also many references to joy in in the Bible. What is joy? Joy is a feeling, or emotion. Many things can give us joy–a delicious meal, a visit from a friend, reuniting with family, obedient children–you get the idea. Spending time with my grandchildren makes me especially joyful, as do flowers, a delightful book, and those Hallmark Christmas movies that always end “happily ever after.” However, all these things are fleeting. What if the next meal isn’t forthcoming or especially good, what if the friend doesn’t come back, what if after reuniting there is dysfunction, what if the children then disobey? Sometimes good things happen and we still can’t appreciate it or summon a feeling of joy. Sometimes we have to use some kind of artificial stimulant to bring joy. I know myself that I can feel very joyful one day and not so much the next, even though my circumstances have not changed. The fact is that feelings, or emotions, are unstable. God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

So, what is this good news that will cause great joy? We know that the good news is that “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” The long-promised Messiah has come. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) ….” the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) ….” has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Timothy 1:10.

This is the good news that causes great joy, joy that is not dependent upon the fickleness of our hearts or the actions of any earthly being or thing! When we rest in the life-giving love and glory and majesty of Jesus and obey his commands, we are secure in the only thing that really matters.  Our joy is real and it is complete.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-11).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” (1 John 1:1-4).

During this season of Advent, let us proclaim to the world our joy for the gift of our Savior and the fact that our Savior reigns as the King of Kings and LORD of Lords.

I hope you will click on the link below—I promise you will be blessed by this rendition of one of my very favorite songs:

Lyrics to Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (words by Henry Van Dyke, music by Ludwig Van Beethoven)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us,
Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward
In the triumph song of life.

In Christ,

Judy

‘For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

There’s a lot not to like about December. It’s cold. It’s often wet. It’s often wet and cold. It can be dreary. The days are getting shorter, and the traffic seems to get worse. But over the years, I have learned to love December for many reasons. Here are a few:

1. As much as I love to garden and see things grow, December affords me some time to clean out my gardens and to rest along with the ground.
2. I try to appreciate the cold crisp air, contrasting it with the hot and humid days of summer when I was wishing for a break in the heat.
3. With the leaves off the trees, I can see through the trees into people’s back yards and even further. I can see through the trees into the fields beyond as I am driving along the interstate. I know that sounds weird (please don’t judge me), but it’s just fun to see what is usually hidden by the trees and other undergrowth of spring, summer, and fall. And you are more likely to see hawks and other similar types of birds when the leaves are off the trees.
4. I love homemade soup, chili, and other hearty meals. They are just better when it’s cold outside.
5. I love “cozy.” Cozy is just a wintertime thing and it’s so comforting.

I think that December is also a great month because of Christmas, of course, and because I know that the New Year is right around the corner, with its promise of new beginnings.

Maybe promise is the best reason of all to love December, because December is a month of resting on God’s promises.

• We know that December won’t last forever, that spring will always follow winter. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).
• We know that light followed darkness.  “…the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16).
• We know that eternal life is promised to all who believe. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Season of Advent began this past Sunday. It runs from the fourth Sunday before Christmas through Christmas Eve. During Advent, we plan and prepare for the second coming of Christ just as those in Jesus’ day anticipated the first coming of Christ. Let us celebrate the fact that we can both look back on how God fulfilled his promise beginning in Genesis 3:15 with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, as well as look forward to living each day in community with the risen Lord and our fellow believers.

In Christ,

Judy

“… God is love” (1 John 4:8).

As we are celebrating Advent–the coming of Jesus—we have already pondered three themes of the season: peace, hope, and joy. During this fourth week, we ponder God’s attribute of love. Indeed, no other attribute describes the Trinity better than love. John writes that “God is Love.” It is his very nature. It is the nature of each person of the Trinity, and it is the very nature of the relationship between the persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

And for us, love also speaks to the relationship God has with us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Just think of it: God loves you!! Even when you think that no one else sees you, knows you, loves you. God does. God sees you; He knows you; He loves you. And he loves us with a purpose, which is to redeem us back to relationship with him. He is always inviting us to come to him.

• When Sarai’s Egyptian slave Hagar got pregnant by Abraham, Sarai banished her to the wilderness. An angel spoke to her and advised her to return and submit to Sarai. “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” (Genesis 16:13).
• To the children of Israel who were threatened all around by wickedness both within their borders and by hostile neighbors, God spoke through Isaiah to assure them that he knew them and their troubles: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine….Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you,… (Isaiah 43:1b, 4).
• “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’” (Jeremiah 31:3).

And this beautiful quality of love is what identifies us as believers, as those who belong to the family of God. Love is more than feeling, it is an action. It is who we are and what we do.

• “’Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew 22:36-40).
• “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35).
• “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

In this season of Advent, remember that out of His love for us, Jesus came the first time as a baby to become the sacrificial lamb, the sacrifice for our sins so that we could come before God with the righteousness of His Son. And let us look forward to Jesus’ second coming when he will return as King of Kings and LORD of Lords to lead all believers to our eternal life with God in Heaven.

Paul writes to the Corinthians in the famous “love chapter” about faith, love, and hope. He declares love to be the greatest of all. Faith and hope are equally great, and they sustain us while we are yet residents on earth. Love is greater because it not only sustains us in the here and now, but it will continue on to define eternal life. It is greater because it is everlasting.

The Bible uses earthly metaphors to describe our relationship with God and Jesus. For example, God is the Father, we are His children; Jesus is the groom, and the church is His bride. These are the epitome of a love relationship. We see this in Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her….”

And then in the book of Revelation, these metaphors are continued: “Then the angel said to me, write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9). “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’” (Revelation 21:1-6.)

We may not read the word “love” in these passages from Revelation, but we know that is what this is. May you experience the love of God here on earth and for all eternity.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In Christ,

Judy

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).

What a fantastic prophecy, uttered seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah ministered in Jerusalem, the capital of Judea, otherwise known as the southern kingdom. The times were anything but peaceful then, or even when Jesus finally did make his earthly appearance as described by Luke.

In fact, you could say that peace had not been the ongoing state of Israel from the time that Adam and Eve had been evicted from the garden. Separated by sin, they were sentenced to a life of arduous work and danger. Evil ramped up throughout the world until God was so sorry that He destroyed all but Noah and his family in a flood. ^“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:5-8).

You would think that Noah’s family would learn, but after surviving the flood through God’s grace, his three sons went their separate ways. The family that God chose to bless as His People struggled to survive a famine by moving to Egypt (Genesis), then escaped Pharoah under the leadership of Moses (Exodus), grumbled their way through the wilderness until finally they crossed the Jordan and fought their way to conquer the Promised Land of Israel (Joshua). “Even then, they failed to fully obey God and were beset from enemies from all sides. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, ‘Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?’” (Judges 1:1).

We read about the anointing of David to succeed Saul as king and how Saul had David on the run for many years until Saul himself died rather than surrender to the Philistines. David was a great king, but God did not allow him to build his temple because “You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight”  (1 Chronicles 22:8). God wanted a man of peace to construct the temple, not a man of war, because His house was to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7).

From then on in the Bible we read about the division of Israel into the southern and northern kingdoms, how the northern kingdom was absorbed into Assyria and how the southern kingdom was overtaken by Babylonia. And then the Persians came, then the Greeks, and finally the Romans conquered the land. There was nothing but war, strife, military rule, and unrest. This prophecy from Isaiah was a welcomed promise; he could not come soon enough.

And then when Jesus did come, so many did not receive Him; and many outright rejected Him. Jesus has prophesied himself about coming strife. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:6-7).

However, Jesus also tells us “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” John 16:33).

The Apostle Paul, who experienced much suffering as he brought the gospel to the Gentiles, encouraged us by saying “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37). Even when we see the visions of wrath and destruction in Revelation, we are reassured that as believers, we are under the protection of God. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

Jesus represents peace because it is only through him that we can be reconciled back to God and experience the love, security, and abundant life that has been promised to us In Christ Jesus. We may enjoy peace from time to time, which is certainly a gift. However, one does not have to spend much time listening to or reading the news to know that peace is not the state of the world; and it is certainly not the state of being for those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. But, it is the state of mind we as believers are able to have as we trust in Jesus.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

In Christ,

Judy

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King” (Psalm 98:4-6).

Today, as I am making the final edits to this edition of Chaplain’s Corner, it is overcast and drizzling, and it feels like we are in a fog. Everyone outside is hunched under hoods and umbrellas trying to stay dry. And inside, many seem to be in a funk. So, as I read the scripture above, I just cannot get excited; I struggle to feel the joy. I cannot think of joy in anything but a positive context. The word means “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness,” but today just does not feel like one of those days.

Biblical joy is this same feeling of great pleasure and happiness, but biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances; it is dependent on Jesus. Rick Warren defines spiritual joy as follows: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” If that is the case, then I can have joy regardless of the weather, regardless of my health, regardless of all the problems surrounding me. But how?

• When it is raining and gloomy outside, it is easy to get down and depressed, while a sunny day lifts our spirits. So how do we overcome this dark feeling we have when the weather is bad? We remind ourselves that it is God who controls the weather, and that one of his promises is anchored by a rainbow which can only be seen when the sun is shining through the rain. In fact, as my dad used to say, “The sun is always shining, even when we can’t see it right now for the clouds.” So, let us remind ourselves that the Son is always shining on us, and we can trade our gloomy thoughts for thankfulness and lead joyful lives that reflect the light of the Son.

• When we are dealing with sickness (ourselves or others), the pain and distress can easily overwhelm us. A poor prognosis can send us spiraling. On the other hand, excellent health and physical strength seem to buoy our spirits and make us feel invincible. But let us remember, this earthly life is fleeting whether it is 10 or 100 years long, and our eternal beings will one day be glorified to a perfected state that puts even the most stunning physical specimen to shame. Even when we are suffering in our current state, let us seek God for answers for how we can glorify him through our pain and sickness; let us not waste these opportunities to demonstrate God’s presence by joyfully thanking him for his eternal mercies and grace.
• When financial, family, work-related, or other problems come our way, as they most assuredly will, it is easy to feel defeated. But let us remember the promise of Jesus in the gospel of John, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Feelings can often be fickle. our feelings cannot be trusted by themselves. In fact, Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” However, biblical joy is more than a feeling. It is a commitment to trusting God in all circumstances. As Rick Warren says, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

Many times in the Bible, “joy” is used like a noun, as in “my joy,” and it is describing the deep happiness associated with the fulfilling of a covenant promise. For example:

• “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder” (Isaiah 9:3).
• “The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete” (John 3:29).

The secret to spiritual joy is dependency on Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all covenant promises.

My favorite Christmas carol is Joy to the World. It is one that we all know, so it is easy to sing it mindlessly. It is written by one of the greatest hymn-writers, Isaac Watts. When played in its full glory, my heart just wants to explode with joy as it expresses so well what the gospel message means.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love

In Christ,

Judy