An Advent Devotional, By: Paul Massingill
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined. – Isaiah 9:2
The excitement has been building in my house for a while now. My boys are literally counting down the days. As the frequency of commercials on TV has increased, pointing ahead to the day, we all can barely contain our excitement.
The new Star Wars movie is coming.
The anticipation in our home is palpable. We have opening night tickets. Over dinner, we share our theories about the plot based on the glimpses from the trailers. Maybe the younger characters are Han & Leia’s kids. Maybe Luke has gone over to the dark side. All we know for sure is that we are excited for what December 18 holds.
Advent in the Church is a season of anticipation. We look forward to Christmas and the birth of the Messiah – Emmanuel, “God with us”. We are reminded of the hope we have because God has come to us in Jesus and made a home with us through God’s abiding Holy Spirit. There is hope because light has come.
But Advent is also the time when we anticipate that our King will come again. And while we may not understand the details from glimpses we see in Biblical visions and promises – we look forward to that day with hope and excitement. Because it will be a day when black lives and Syrian lives and all lives will matter, when all will be welcomed and no refugees need wander, when all life will be valued and no lives shortened by violence in clinics or campuses or battlefields. Love will win, and light will shine on all forever.
Prayer: Come Lord Jesus. Give us hope to live today with hope instead of despair, love instead of fear. Strengthen our hope for that day when your Kingdom comes, and your will be done. Help us share our light in the darkness. Amen.
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