This is an excerpt from Advent devotional I wrote for our church. It can be found on the Bible app, YouVersion, under Heaven and Nature Sing, Cornwall Church
THE FIRST SUNDAY | ADVENT | HOPE
5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David, a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Jeremiah 23:5-6, NIV
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:3
Did you ever have that feeling that something was coming to you? Most likely you couldn’t put your finger on what it is, but your intuition tells you: Something is on its way. You wait, more watchful, ready to act when whatever it is reveals itself. You pray, asking God to open your eyes to what it is. And then you wait.
Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary knew Jeremiah’s words “the days are coming” and the promises of wisdom, safety and justice. Those would arrive via the LORD, called Our Righteous Savior. Then, just as now, they needed each piece: Our – it’s for all, righteous – incorruptible, Savior – a rescuer. Each component was coming their way; yet they didn’t know when, so they joined myriad others before them and waited expectantly.
In order to wait expectantly, they needed to believe that He would indeed remember them, that he truly loved them and would be faithful to them. For those of us who have waited a long time for something, we know how easy it is to lose hope, to begin to doubt that those promises are real. Either Mary or Elizabeth could have expressed doubt, but they did not. They rejoiced and believed. Someone good was coming. Months would need to pass first; this, after waiting for years. In the meantime, they’d wait together and while they waited, they’d hope.
Jewish writer Simone Weil said, “Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.” We spend our lives waiting. Mary waited with Elizabeth, seeking that community to keep alive the flame of hope and because they were together, that flame could grow stronger. These women show us the importance of waiting together.
We do that in this Advent season where we wait together in community. Then, as now, we wait in hope for Our Righteous Savior, our incorruptible rescuer. Though surrounded by darkness, war, and immorality, we light the Hope candle when we’re together. Not only literally, but figuratively, holding on watchfully, expectantly.
Not to say any waiting is easy; hope holds hands with waiting and waiting often tries our souls. Yet, we wait for something that has already begun in us, that seed of hope. Christ has already given us something and he tells us there’s more. Hope is trusting that something will be fulfilled, but fulfilled according to promises, not just wishes. Doubtless, those living before them wished he’d come in their time. He did not, but it did not make their waiting a foolish endeavor. On the contrary, it kept their souls in the proper posture for that season. May all of us do the same.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, we praise you because “You are my hope and my help, my glory and the lifter-up of my head.” Psalm 3:3 Thank you for giving us the hope of your return while not abandoning us, for you have left your Spirit as our Comforter and Guide. We praise you for the hope you have planted in our hearts; that we will soon experience firsthand. Through your grace, we feel your supporting arms leading us towards you. We await your salvation with a fervent desire and a calm surrender, thanks to your unchanging promise. Amen