Hope

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. (1 Peter 1:3-6 ESV).

 

During Advent, many Christians anticipate the celebration of Christmas, the first coming of Jesus Christ, and his anticipated return. Some churches begin the fourth Sunday before Christmas by reflecting on a central theme for each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve: hope, peace, joy, and love. Many churches light a candle on a wreath each Sunday of Advent, symbolizing one of these themes. In the next four days, we’ll explore the four themes of Advent and discuss their significance and meaning in our lives, offering ways to embrace them as we await the coming of Christmas. Today we are looking at “Hope”.

 

I understand hope can feel elusive for many this time of the year. When we find ourselves immersed in the challenges of difficulty, it is difficult to be hopeful. But for Christians, hope is not merely a fervent wish that things will get better; instead, it is a profound assurance rooted in faith: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). This Advent hope is anchored in the promise of Christ's coming—not only for Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ first coming but for us who wait in anticipation of his second coming.

 

Hope rooted in faith inspires believers to look beyond our immediate circumstances and trust God's faithfulness to his promises. During this time of the year, we may embrace this hope by recognizing what God has accomplished through the gift of Jesus. Through this miraculous birth we were given the grace of God bringing us redemption and eternal life. Death has no power over us as it has been forever defeated. The curse of the ages has been lifted to give us the hope of life!