2 min. read
The purpose of any good story is to show us where we fit into it. In many stories we find ourselves as the main character. But the story of hope at Advent shows us we are not the center. And it is in that displacement that we have immeasurable hope.
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No matter how many times I’ve celebrated and observed the season of Advent, I never tire of it. Advent reminds me that hope is a gift; a gift that I will never deserve.
But the receiving of this gift of hope requires some response. And each season of Advent, my response is to trust my God a bit more.
Because of the hope we find in the love of God shown through Jesus, I am convinced that growth cannot happen if we cling to a paltry sense of security and the status quo. This story of hope says that I no longer need to be discouraged by my own self-centerdness, my sin, nor my feeble faith. This story, encompassed in a God who becomes a baby to unwed parents, says that I no longer need to feel defeated.
Hope Is Not In Me, But In Jesus
A shallow hope would tell me that I can do something: that I am able, that I can overcome my moodiness, my laziness, my lust, my unforgiveness, and my resentment.
But the story of Jesus Christ tells me that I can do nothing. Only Jesus is able to refresh me and transform me just as he transformed the world with his birth.
In the reality of the hope we are reminded of at Advent, we can let go of our independence and self-sufficiency. Such things are myths anyway. And instead we can embrace our helplessness as we look toward Jesus.
It is in all of God as a baby writhing in a manger that we become convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
So Tell Me Something
What does this story of hope say to you?