Smithville Christian High School: What we're hoping for.....

Our Christmas chapel featured lots of music and a reflection on hope.

Mr. Robb began his message with the lyrics of a song by the band For King And Country that had been on our school sign: "Endless hope, relentless joy, started with a baby boy."

He said it's normal for us to hope for things like good marks on tests, for acceptance from friends or for gifts for Christmas, such as the dog he once hoped for when he was a boy.

"Sometimes we are more certain than others of the things we hope for," he said. The Bible uses the word "hope" about 175 times, and "it's not just wishful thinking, it's much stronger than that."

Because of the promises of God, we have hope for the forgiveness of sins, for the strength to live our lives as Christ calls us to live, and for an eternal home free from the sin and suffering of this world, Robb said.

"Our hope is based on the character and promises of God, a God who cannot lie," he said.

We put our hope not in iPads or iPods or other I things, but in the God who loves us and who came to us as a baby boy, he said.

Hebrews 6:19 says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." The image is of a ship at anchor, Robb said. "A storm may blow in tossing the ship about, but as long as the anchor holds, the ship is safe."

Similarly, the storms of life may toss us about, but as long as we have our hope in Christ, our anchor, we cannot be destroyed, he said.

Mr. Robb ended his reflection with the lyrics of the song "Baby Boy" by For King and Country:

If you told me all about your sorrows
I'd tell you about a cure
If you told me you can't fight the battle
There's a Baby Boy who won the war
The war was won by a Baby Boy

Alleluia, we can sing it
Alleluia, Heaven's ringing
Alleluia!
Endless hope and endless joy started with a Baby Boy

Oh, before that silent night
No Savior and No Jesus Christ
The world cried out so desperately
And the Baby Boy was the reply,
Yes, Heaven's reply was a baby boy

Alleluia, we can sing it
Alleluia, Heaven's ringing
Alleluia!
Endless hope and endless joy started with a Baby Boy

See, the King is coming down
And He's here without a crown
The Baby Boy without a bed
Giving life back to the dead
And hear the angels shout it out
As the people are coming down
Unexpected majesty
Alleluia, what a King

Alleluia, we can sing it
Alleluia, Heaven's ringing
Alleluia!
Endless hope and endless joy started with a Baby Boy

Alleluia, we can sing it!
Alleluia, yeah, Heaven's ringing!
Alleluia!
Endless hope and endless joy started with a Baby Boy

We sang What Child Is This, Angels We Have Heard on High and Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel.

The choir performed "Hush," "Jesus What a Wonderful Child," "Sing Noel," "Testify to Love," "Wade in the Water" and an "Irish Blessing."Megan and Rachel sang "Do You See What I See?" Caleb sang "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Jon sang "All I Want for Christmas is You" and Samantha sang "Only Hope."