Third Day of Christmas

 Here’s a brief blog series on each of the 12 days of Christmas, with Christian meanings.

 

On the third day of Christmas, my True Love [God] gave to me:

Three French hens

Faith, Hope and Love

 

“So now faith, hope and love abide, these three” – 1 Corinthians 13:13.

The capstone of Paul’s great “Love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13, the context is really interesting.  The Corinthians put too much importance on knowledge, abilities/gifts, powerful speakers and their reputations.  Paul points out there are far more important things.  The mark of a spiritual person isn’t impressing others with speaking in tongues, how many books you’ve read, how impressively you can preach.  Sensationalism and spirituality don’t go together well.

 

Simple trust in God with your life, hoping in His work in the future (including 2021!), and love of God and neighbor, sum up the essence of the Christian life.

 

FAITH

People put stock in faith, in itself.  Faith in faith.  It’s nice to be people of faith.  But in WHAT?  “Whoever believes IN HIM [Jesus] should not perish…” (John 3:16).

 

HOPE

People right now seem to have a “fingers-crossed” attitude toward 2021.  This is not biblical hope.  “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).  Biblical hope KNOWS God will arrange everything in His world for the good of His people (Romans 8:28), regardless how much or little disruption that may bring to our lives.

 

LOVE

People tend to see love as good feelings or a close connection toward others.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:10-11).  Love gives drastically of itself for the good of others.