Advent: Hope (Week 1)
Hope
What is Advent
The First Advent Candle stands for hope, and specifically, the Israelites' Hope that the promised Messiah would come.
Jeremiah 33:14 (ESV) - "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah."
Hope - Israel was Hoping in the Messiah
[Isaiah 9:1-7 NLT] 1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5 The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!
What is Waiting
The Israelites had been waiting for the Messiah for centuries, wondering what he would look like and what he would do when he arrived.
Waiting is an art that our impatient age/society has forgotten.
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) - "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
What is our Advent/waiting today
In the tapestry of our daily lives, may the threads of hope, joy, and anticipation woven through the season of Advent inspire us to live purposefully, anchored in the promises of God. As we await the celebration day of Christ's birth, let His light illuminate our paths, bringing meaning and significance to each day.
Psalm 16:11 (ESV) - "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
The Advent season is a season of waiting, but our whole life is an Advent season, that is, a season of waiting for the last Advent, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth.
As we journey through this season of Advent, let us embrace the joy of waiting on Christ's return.
Titus 2:13 (ESV) - "Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."
Have you been waiting for Christ to arrive into your situation/life?
Christ is our hope in life and death!
