Date: Nov. 29, 2019
The turkey has been roasted and leftovers fill our fridges. Thanksgiving is gone and the time of Advent is here. Advent is all about the anticipation of the arrival of the baby Jesus and starts on December 1.
The year is coming to an end, and it may have been a rough year and left you weary. This spring, we had an easter retreat with the theme of Living Hope, a hope that has real meaning and is alive. As the year ends, we continue that thought with our theme of Advent, A Thrill of Hope.
Advent is when we anticipate the arrival of Jesus leading up to Christmas. It is a celebration of his first coming and the anticipation of his return. Advent presents us with a hope that his thrilling.
Many times we forget the thrill that comes by knowing that Jesus is the Savior of the world. When he was born, people celebrated, not just because a baby was born, but they had a rush of hope. The people of Jesus’ time were oppressed under harsh Roman rule and oppressed under the legality of the Pharisees. They people always felt uncertain about the future, but they found no solace.
That is, until the coming of the Messiah. The Christmas song O' Holy Night, sums up this feeling in its first verse:
O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope—the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees!
O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
The emotion in that song is something that we need to experience during this Christmastime—a thrill of hope.
