Advent. The Season of Waiting. The Season of HOPE, Peace, Joy, and Love.
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In recent years, I have not been attracted to the idea of celebrating Advent. I knew it was happening, and I acknowledged it, but I didn’t live it. For various personal and societal reasons, the last four years of the holiday season hold feelings of despondence, disbelief, disconnection, and at times despair.
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But this year is different. Advent, and all that it represents, is actively alive in me. As we draw near to the end of the first week of this practice of waiting- I am eyes wide open to the reality that is all not right in this world - things are not as they should be. Yet, I have HOPE.
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This Advent, I celebrate with HOPE the anticipation of Jesus’ birth, and on Christmas day I will celebrate with joy His first coming. I have HOPE in the Coming Savior and His bringing about the redemption of God for ALL people. My HOPE is not in vain-it is not in something that never was or will never be. My HOPE is in knowing that the Savior came once, and He is coming again.
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While I am thrilled to have many new friends here, and I love that this space of the internet allows us to share pieces of our lives- the good, the hard, the joy, the sorrow- I am more excited and filled with HOPE in the idea that we are building a community-one where I point you, and you, in turn, point me to Jesus and we encourage each other to live in HOPE.
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I want to remind you (and me), that our HOPE cannot be in each other. If your HOPE resides in me, or in any other platform you follow, you will be disappointed- I will fail you. They will fail you. Our HOPE must be in Jesus.
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So when all seems dark and lost, when frustration, stress, and overwhelm set in, hold on to that feeling of expectation-hold on to HOPE