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God is Love & In Him There is Hope

Today is the first day of advent, the time where we remember the faithfulness of God.

If I’m honest, my prayers have sounded a lot like the Psalms this season. How long O Lord, until your restoration is here? How long O Lord before we’re back in the garden? How long O Lord until there’s no more sickness? No more injustice? No more loss and grief? How long O Lord until all things are made right and new? How long O Lord —

I wish I knew.

This is the conclusion that I’ve drawn after walking through what has felt like a valley of shadows: there’s no hope here without God. But in him? It abounds. God’s hope is living and breathing and alive because hope is a person, and his name is Jesus.

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Whether you meaningfully engage with Advent each passing year, or all you know is that it has something to do with Jesus, I’m grateful you’re here. Here’s my simple summary of a season that holds great significance and depth.

Advent is –

the hope of Jesus for the weary,

The peace of God for the grieving,

The joy of the Lord for the hurting,

and the love of God for the wandering.

When God sent Jesus into the world, this is what He was saying: God loves us, He has not forgotten us, and we’re not alone. And not only that, but there is still hope here; God’s not done. Oh, how sweet it’s been for my own soul to remember who God is, and what He’s done. He is more than we could ever ask, think, or imagine.

Advent is a beautiful offering of hope for a weary world, reminding us of the loving faithfulness of God. And every year, we’re invited not only to celebrate the arrival of the long awaited king, but also to remember God’s promises that has sustained the hope and joy of believers for all of time.

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God Has Not Forgotten Us. Let us Remember Him.

Isaiah 49:15-16 says this: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

God has not forgotten us. We are ever before Him.

As humans, our challenge is to reciprocate this affection and adoration. We get distracted, or afraid, and while God remembers us, nestled preciously in His sight, we trend toward forgetfulness. But maybe, for the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, it could be different. Instead, we could slow down and –

Remember His goodness.

Remember His love.

Remember His trustworthiness.

Remember how He goes before us, and hems us in from behind.

He is with us in the waiting to both comfort and refine.

As we contemplate who God is and what He’s done, we’ll return to what is true: there is still hope here. God’s not done.

If the troubles of this world have worn you down, there’s no better message to cling to than the one we call good news. To my table, you’re invited where the chief goal is simply to remember Him.

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Coram Deo

Today, consider God’s compassion for you in Isaiah 49:15-16.

Delight in this truth: He has not forgotten us. We aren’t left to fend for ourselves amidst the brokenness of this world. God longs for perfect holy communion. This is why he sent His Son.

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NOTE: For thoughtful ways to engage this Advent season, subscribe to my newsletter for stories and simple bible study resources.

For the most part, on even days, I’ll post a reflection on my blog & on odd days, I’ll send a newsletter with key scriptures, personal stories, and thoughtful questions to go a little deeper.