Advent Sunday - Hope
“The thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn . . . “
On November 29, 2013, my life didn’t seem hopeful.
As the evening sky descended on the horizon, my late husband drew his final breath shortly before dinner. After an eight-month battle with cancer, he left this earth on the biggest shopping day of the holiday season.
He never really was a shopper.
There I was, trying to pull my children off their father while trying to remain on this side of sanity. My world shattered while the worlds of others remained fairly intact.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
We were supposed to live happily ever after.
Life as I knew it—as we knew it—changed forever.
It would never go back to what it was. I would never go back to who I was.
On this first Sunday of Advent, we are encouraged to have hope at a time when all that surrounds us is filled with uncertainty and chaos. We long for the thrill of hope and a sense of peace.
Lighting the first purple candle of Advent reminds us of the hope that God will fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes our definition of hope is confused with the practice of what I call “positivity poison.” If I just keep declaring enough positivity over myself, if I keep posting positive daily affirmations, things will manifest positively in my life.
Truth is, we have limited control over our own actions and ZERO control of the future or the actions of others. Our true hope is a blessed assurance—a trust that God will do what He promises to do, even when what we see and experience around us doesn’t look or feel hopeful.
I love the songs of the Christmas season. They fill our hearts with gladness and hopeful expectancy of joy in the midst of another transitional year. I especially love the song “O Holy Night” with its reminder that the thrill of hope comes as a weary world rejoices. And low on the horizon of yonder breaks a new a glorious morn, the hope of what tomorrow will bring through the One who makes all things possible.
If these turbulent days leave you weary, I encourage you to light a candle, a purple candle, and remember to have hope.
Because hope never disappoints.
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:5 (NASB)