First Week of Advent – Hope – Lighting the Prophecy Candle

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance. O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. Psalm 95:5

Hopelessness! This seems to be the primary diagnosis of our nation, of our world and, maybe of ourselves.  It seems as if daily the only news is bad news – conflict, violence, senseless rage against others. This overwhelming daily dose of bad news can quickly numb our hearts and souls. If someone would visit the doctor, the diagnosis would be chronic, low-grade hopelessness. We grasp for anything that offers hope, yet like the advertised medicines on TV, the side effects of the cure seem to be worse than the illness.

The story is told of a little boy in a hospital who found hope in an unusual way.  “One day a teacher who was assigned to a mentoring program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child in the hospital. She took the child’s name and room number and talked briefly with the child’s regular class teacher. “We’re studying nouns and adverbs in his class now,” the regular teacher said, “and I’d be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn’t fall too far behind.”

 The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, “I’ve been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs.” When she left she felt she hadn’t accomplished much. But the next day, a nurse asked her, “What did you do to that boy?” The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. “No, no,” said the nurse. “You don’t know what I mean. We’ve been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back, responding to treatment. It’s as though he’s decided to live.”

Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: “They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?”  (article from Bits and Pieces magazine)

“There are no hopeless situations: there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.” – Clare Boothe Luce

G. K. Chesterton wrote that: “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all…it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.” Hope was finally found after four hundred years between the close of Malachi and the coming word that the Messiah would be born. Now, the prophecy candle would be lit. Gabriel, the angel of the LORD, came to Zechariah, announcing that he and Elizabeth would give birth to a son who would be named John. Though they were long past childbearing years they would be part of God’s plan for hope. They would have a son in their old age but not just any son. Their son would “make ready a people prepared for the LORD.”

A few months later Gabriel made his way to Nazareth with the greatest birth announcement the world would ever hear. It was an announcement that would rock the world forever! In this small, politically insignificant village, Gabriel made his way to a young woman and Mary heard the words, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33)

Hope, as defined by the dictionary is “To entertain a wish for something with some expectation. To be confident; trust. To look forward to with confidence of fulfillment.” God defined hope in the birth of Jesus. “…Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Hebrews 6:18-19

Sunday marked the first day of Advent. In the midst of all the shopping, decorating and activities that mark the Christmas season, this Advent season can remind us to set aside time for spiritual preparation for celebrating the coming of Jesus Christ. The flame of the first candle reminds us that God kept his promise to send a Messiah.

Hope found in a feeding trough. Hope – wrapped in a blanket. Hope – worshipped by the lowly shepherds as well as the ruling Kings.

Christmas is the very essence of hope as we experience God coming into the world, “Emmanuel, God is with us.” (Matt 1:23) As you reflect upon the Hope candle, whatever struggle you face, use it as an opportunity to experience the hope found in the coming of Jesus. In a dark world, one candle’s light is as powerful as a floodlight on a dark night.

God wouldn’t send his son to offer hope if we were dying without hope, would he?

Lord, let me be attentive to what truly matters, without being distracted by trivial things.

For opportunities to encourage others who may be struggling without hope.

For grace to rest in the midst of uncertainty and unrest in my life.

For hope that comes each morning through your love and grace. Amen.

God is great,