Back in 2007, eighteen long years ago, I hung up an ornament on our Christmas tree. Why would I remember that moment? 

The hubbers and I had been married about two years, and I was six months pregnant with our firstborn. We were excited and anxious soon-to-be parents. I remember hanging up that particular dull-gold ornament which spelled out the word, “Hope.”

At the back of the decoration (which was made of metal), I etched out (well, scratched out rather rudimentarily) the words “Waiting for our baby boy…2007”

It was a sweet hope of a first-time mama. And three months later, that hope was fulfilled by a red-faced baby who was everything we dreamed of and then some. It took just a few months of waiting for that hope to be fulfilled.

But this first week of Advent centers around a different type of hope. This is the hope that the Jewish race waited for 4,000 years, in expectation of the promised Savior.

And that hope was fulfilled in Jesus. He came to bring hope—not the flimsy, temporary wishful thinking of the world, but the eternal, rock-solid redemption that only God can bring.

Yet, as we look around us, the world seems to be in a “hopeless” state right now.

The headlines are devastating. Wars. Shootings. Cyclones. Fires. Chaos. 

Like the Advent candle that is probably blown out at the end of the church service, hope seems to be snuffed out, blown away by the winds of depravity and corruption.

But God calls us to a “living hope.” 

In 1 Peter,  Scripture reminds us that God, through Jesus, has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Here’s the thing, friend.

Our hope is not founded on transient circumstances. Our hope is founded on the truth of the resurrection. It is founded on God’s promise to make all things new.

As the old hymn goes, 

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

Friend, Advent is a season of “already and not yet.” It is when we have already experienced the grace of God in sending Jesus to redeem us. But we await His second coming when He will reign over all things.

Meanwhile, we hope, not as the world does. But it is an active hope, an anticipation, an ache that awaits an answer. It is a persevering, persistent hope that remains rooted in what Christ has accomplished on the Cross and will bring to completion when He comes again.

As we wait, we join the refrain and sing:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

 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

 

---

 

If this blog resonated with you,  SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. I would love a Facebook or Instagram follow or share if you’re on social media. Thanks a ton for stopping by! See you next week.