Hope!

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." v. 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:31, 33-34

Years of prophecy, followed by years of silence. Can you imagine those 400 years of silence? Waiting? The people of God waited in anticipation of a Savior, and when He came, many didn't even recognize Him. After all, he came to a carpenter and his wife. He came in the middle of the night in a stable. He lay on a bed of straw. He was surrounded by animals, and shepherds. There were no trumpets sounding, or fine linens. It was just a plain, ordinary night. That was the night our Savior chose to enter this world. After 400 years of silence, here's what John says:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. v.9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. v. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-5, 9 and 14

There is something transcendent about the Gospel. It's such a simple story--one which prophets foretold for generations. One which has been passed down through generations in the church. But it's not just a story...it's an account of something that really happened. One ordinary night, the Word became flesh in a stable. The lowliest of places, the King of the world was born.

Read that opening scripture from Jeremiah again. I love that promise from Jeremiah. As a believer and a child of God, I cling to that promise--that His grace is sufficient for me. He will not forget His covenant--the new covenant through Christ. But it wasn't a covenant He made just with Israel. He made that covenant with all (Colossians 1:27). God chose to make known "the glorious mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

That is our message this Advent: Christ = hope.

I have a relative whom I love dearly. He is an atheist. He makes fun of the Church. He has dealt with all kinds of physical problems from birth. He's lived a challenging life. He's skeptical and cynical, and a brainiac who doesn't believe in anything he can't define or understand. Several Christmases ago, we were at his house. He had nativities all over the place. We were sitting at the dinner table, and I was commenting on all of his nativities. I asked him why he had all of the nativities (knowing that he's an atheist). He said, "I just can't help but think there must have been something really special about that night." It's funny--whether this relative realized it or not, even the most proclaimed athiests at some level can't deny Him.

Wise words from a non-believer. That night fulfilled prophesies...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Our hope. Our deliverer.

People long for hope. People long for purpose. People long for something more meaningful than their finite minds can understand. We have the opportunity this Advent season to share with them the hope in Christ. Share your story. People are hungry, and listening.

Lord, You promise us that where we proclaim Your Word, it will not come back void. I pray right now that you will burden us with the names of people who need to know You. Give us the opportunity and courage to share you with a world that is in such need of Hope. Remember Your children, remember Your promise. We know that Your grace is enough. Allow us to reflect Your light and Your glory this season.