November 28
First Sunday of Advent - Hope
*Scroll down for a free printable Advent Scripture calendar!*
Have yourself a merry little Christmas;
Let your heart be light.
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight . . .
The lyrics of this popular Christmas song may ring hollow on weary ears and heavy hearts. For many people, hope seems in shorter supply than ever before. How can our hearts be light with the current news headlines—not to mention our own personal struggles?
Without diminishing the current suffering of millions around the world (or our own), it can be helpful to remember that things weren’t so different that first Christmas.
Under the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD, many endured unspeakable suffering, and the poor and marginalized especially were targets for oppression—including the Jews. Every hoofbeat and clattering of imperial armor sparked terror in the hearts of those who followed the law of Moses.
The God of Israel had promised a Messiah, one who would save his people. Yet the Jews had waited for centuries, and hope seemed nowhere in sight. When would the Savior finally come?
In a divine irony, the Messiah did indeed come, but few of the Jews knew about it. A child was born, a star blazed, and angel hosts gave glory to God. Yet even after that first Christmas night, life went on as normal. The oppressive government continued its bloodthirsty regime, forcing the child’s parents to flee with him as refugees to Egypt.
If this was God’s plan of salvation for the world, things didn’t appear to be going so well. But things are not always as they seem.
Outwardly, nothing had changed, and yet everything had. Before, God could only be approached through observing the Mosaic law, through repeated sacrifice and Levitical priestly ministry. But now God could literally be seen, heard, touched, held.
Before, God was beyond us. But now and forevermore, God is with us.
On this first Sunday of Advent, we celebrate hope. The incarnation of Christ is a hope the ancient Romans couldn’t kill and the current news cycle cannot cancel. This hope is ours in the best of times, yet it shines brightest in the darkest of times.
May our hope in Emmanuel—God with us—shine more brightly this year than ever before.
Lyrics from “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Ralph Blane
Engage with God’s Word through Advent with this free Scripture calendar from The Wonder of Advent Devotional! Right-click on the image below to download to your computer, or click here to open in a new tab.
The Wonder of Advent Devotional
Experiencing the Love and Glory of the Christmas Season