God’s gift . . .

The Light of Hope in the Advent Season 

It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness
and thus to open doors of hope.
(Pope Benedict XVI) 

The Christmas season is my favorite time of year . . . it has been for as long as I can remember . . . The colored lights, trees, decorations, and candles—even snow sometimes . . . the carols, traditions new and old, the spirit and celebration with family and friends is all part of it . . . But even more is my love of the wonder and possibilities of Christmas that go with the mystery and glory of Christ’s entrance into the world . . . because it gives us a reason to hope . . . One of the essential focuses of Christmas is hope. 

What are you hoping for this Christmas? . . .
             Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and think—What are you truly hoping for this Christmas? 

So, when is hope given? . . . When is it fulfilled? . . . Jesus is the answer to both of these questions . . . Jesus brought hope with Him for all generations, and He is “hope fulfilled” for previous generations . . . Christ was “hope fulfilled” for those long ago who waited or prayed for His coming . . . For us, He is the continued hope of the world, “hope assured” guaranteed through His work on the cross . . . Hope was given as a gift from God in a baby . . . and The Word became flesh.  

The thought of this precious gift from God fills my heart with warmth and hope . . . It starts with the miraculous, hidden and vulnerable act of a baby born into this world . . . so that there became a way for everyone to return our Father . . . this overshadows our earthly desires and hopes . . . Jesus’s coming is “hope fulfilled” and “hope assured.”
 

So, think about your Christmas hopes . . .

Are your hopes focused inward? . . . or for the blessing and benefit of others?

Are your hopes wrapped up in shiny Christmas paper?
. . . or the swaddling clothes of a tiny baby, Jesus Christ, born in a manger? 

INSIGHT . . . 

The word advent [for me] means “expectation.”
What advent can do for us, is create a sense of hope.
(Louie Giglio) 

It can be hard to have hope . . . The world is weary, and even during the Christmas season when we’re reminded of the story of Jesus’s birth, it is hard to find a thrill of hope . . . as we grow up and get older, the hope and joy of Christmas tend to dwindle . . . if we let it. 

Rather than worrying about how to spell “Christmas” or the technicalities of how we greet each other during the holidays–although I do struggle when people write X-mas and I like saying “Merry Christmas” . . .   Anyway, we need to focus on why we celebrate in the first place . . . After all, the day commemorates a moment in Christian history when our God entered the world as a little child to bring the hope of salvation to all humanity  . . . That very first night shined a bright light, an eternal light, into the future. 

Remember these words? . . . “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees; O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born. O night, O Holy night, O night divine!” 

Christmas is about the hope that a little baby, born in unusual and lowly circumstances, someday would bring about enormous change in the weary world . . . a thrill of hope to rejoice for!! 

Jesus is the hope of the world and His hope is grounded in the assurance that He came to save the world and will come again . . . Hope is a gift—that hope that Jesus brings is a precious gift that can help each of us survive difficult times . . . Hope is a reminder—a Christmas reminder of the joy, love, and peace that Jesus brings, and that He is here for us . . . Hope is a guarantee—as the Bible tells us, hope is a guarantee from God that things will turn out for the good . . . and my favorite—Hope is a promise that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us.  

Just like the sun rises every morning, we can be confident that even during the longest and darkest nights of the year—and in the midst of the most difficult of Christmas seasons—Immanuel, “God with us,” is near . . . Jesus is right here with us . . . Jesus came to Earth to be our Immanuel, and He is still with us today  . . . No matter what, we are never truly alone because Christ dwells in our hearts through our faith and our hope.  

INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . . 

Waiting on God is one way we express our hope in Him. . . . We wait for what we hope in—what we are sure of. 

Remember, people only wait on what they know will come through . . . There's a reason no one is standing in line at an empty register at Walmart, hoping for a cashier to magically appear . . . There's a reason no one is sitting at a Chick-fil-A drive-through on Sunday, waiting to place their order . . . No one is coming, so waiting is pointless. 

We only wait on what is reliable, what we know in our hearts and souls, will happen . . . this hope, faith, trust in God that we have is very reliable—it’s trustworthy—it’s sure.  

“She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means ‘the Lord saves,’
because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin.”
Matthew 1:21 

Ask God to help you when you have to wait for His will in your life.

Share your hopes with God, no matter how big or small
. . . remember, nothing is too big for our God.

ILLUMINATION . . .                             
           Seeing the Hope of the season in the Light of Christ  

Pause for a moment . . . listen carefully . . . there is a small voice in the chaos whispering words of love, mercy, grace, and hope
. . . Can you hear it? . . . just wait; it’s there . . . in the stillness of the night . . . in the beating of your heart . . . in the slow, peaceful breathing in and out of your body and soul . . . the gentle voice of the Spirit reminding you that you are alive in Christ, reminding you to open your eyes and ears, heart and soul to the presence of Christ in the season happening before your eyes. 

God assures us that waiting is not in vain . . . especially when He is the object of our faith, the One we wait on . . .  So, this season, be willing to wait on the Lord . . . Trust that He is at work in and through your present circumstances to accomplish His perfect will for you . . . as we await His return, we do that anchored in hope . . . hope , faith, and love through Christ 

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure.”
Hebrews 6:19a 

The first Sunday of Advent gives the opportunity to center our thoughts on hope . . . as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ arrival, let’s find in our hearts a sense of anticipation . . . pray that hope will rise up in your spirit in a tangible and life-giving way, so that in this season you can feel the hope, love, joy, and peace it offers.

INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . . 

I love Christmas music, and there's nothing like getting together with friends
at Christmas time to celebrate with music the incredible reality of the Savior's birth.
(Steven Curtis Chapman) 

Song has been a part of worship since the beginning . . . People use song as an expression of highest emotion . . . It’s very fitting that we sing about the birth of Christ!  

I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too. 

♪♬♪ Current . . . Because of Bethlehem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S_uGNqO99Y&list=RD9S_uGNqO99Y&start_radio=1 

♪♬♪ Traditional . . . O Holy Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO6OZIY-lYw&list=RDCO6OZIY-lYw&start_radio=1 

INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . . (finding hope in the season one day at a time) 

“Don’t be afraid! Listen!
I bring good news, news of great joy,
news that will affect all people everywhere. 
Today, in the city of David,
a Savior has been born for you!
He is the promised Anointed One,
the Supreme Authority!”
Luke 2:10-11 

Good news—great joy! . . . We all need hope, and Jesus Christ and His birth in Bethlehem give us hope . . . This was the message delivered to the shepherds . . . and it a message still true today for us. 

In a real sense, the story of Jesus is our story, told to us and for us just as if we had been among the angels on that night near Bethlehem . . . What the angels announced to the shepherds that night is announced on behalf of all of us . . . When we see that everything happened the way God had told the shepherds, we see that God does what He says. 

The story of Jesus’s birth does not end with Him wrapped in swaddling clothes . . . Often the beauty of the Christmas story gets treated as if it were the whole story about Jesus (God showing Himself on earth in the birth of a special child) . . . but this story is only the beginning of God’s new work that continues century after century as new generations of believers share in the blessing of the relationship Christ offers.  

The birth of Christ brings hope for the future—that we will be redeemed . . . Hope for the present—that we are not alone and are loved . . . and Hope over the past—that God’s power to transform us is greater than any of our failures. 

Wherever you find yourself this Advent, take more than a moment to pause, reflect, and worship as you prepare your heart to receive the Living Hope that comes with the birth of a baby in a manger.  

This Advent prayer from Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen sums up what many of us feel and hope for during the Advent season . . . 

Lord Jesus, Master of both light and darkness,  
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparation for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things, look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your Kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people, walking in darkness yet seeking the light.
To You, we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!”—Amen. 

♪♬♪ Hope & Prayer Time (Extra prayer/meditation music) . . . Quiet Time with God

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuasjlkmX6w&list=RDYuasjlkmX6w&start_radio=1

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