The first week of Advent is traditionally about hope. Last year I wrote that right now, when we look at the world, hope feels like a bit of a challenge. Some of the detail has changed, but I feel pretty much the same as I write this in 2024.
Refugees are crossing continents as the effects of economic collapse and climate change start to bite. There is no end in sight to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine. Religious violence continues across Africa and Asia. US Politics seem to be charging into uncharted waters and there is the sense of, or at least the potential for, massive geo political change occurring all around us.
Perhaps it’s not so surprising that people around us, and across the world, are discouraged. Hope, if it can be found at all, is in short supply right now.
Advent is about looking forward. It is about living in anticipation of the arrival of something. If we feel that we’re short of hope we need to lift our sights and remind ourselves what it is that we are supposed to be looking forward to.
One of the greatest themes of Scripture is the faithfulness of God to his people. I’ve seen his faithfulness in history and it has been part of my own life and experience. Knowing that He has been faithful in the past enables me to trust God for the future.
Advent is about looking forward to his continued faithfulness and love for humanity. We are reminded of his faithfulness through the fulfilment of prophecy in the coming of the Christ child. We look forward to the fulfilment of prophecy in the return of the Messiah and the restoration of the Kingdom of God. Such is his past faithfulness that we can live in anticipation of his ongoing faithful presence. It’s about encouragement. It’s about hope.
Take Jesus out of the picture and it’s not surprising everyone feels discouraged. Put Jesus in the picture and there’s one major difference. Hope.
Of course we’re praying for peace and justice across this troubled world and for the restoration of hope in our communities. But the true hope for us all in this first week of Advent is Jesus.