Advent Reflections #6: The What of Advent

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The first theme of Advent is hope.  What a beautiful word. 

I was talking with a dear friend the other day about people who attempt (or succeed at) suicide.  Because of her own personal experience, she doesn’t agree with people who say suicide is a “selfish” act.  A person who gets to the point of self-destruction has lost all hope, so they perceive their act as selfless; at least I believe that in most cases.  My point here is not to argue suicide motivations, but to emphasize that hope is the glue of our lives.  It is what gets us up in the morning.  It is what makes us have children. It is what makes me believe my work matters.  It is what motivates our prayers and our service.

Advent is all about hope.  The Jews (some at least) believed in the promises and waited, hopefully, in the true and full meaning of the word, for the Messiah, the deliverer, even if they didn’t understand (or could) the ramifications of that title.  And I think even our blessed hope today, the second coming, we look forward to with very limited understanding.  But we hope for that, and it sustains us, as did the Jews’ hope in the prophecies of Isaiah.

Isa 8:17  I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Isa 51:5  My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.  

Isa 59:9  Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we  hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

And others:

Mat 12:21  and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Rom 5:2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

What is your favorite hope verse? 

I’ve quoted this before, but it is the best human quotes on hope, from Vaclav Havel. https://www.google.com/#q=Vaclav+Havel+hope

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