We take off the mantle of what came before.
We direct our attention to the future.
Whether immediate or sometime in the unknown future, hope kindles our heart for what’s next.
If our heart is Christ’s home, we are always in a state of anticipation for him. What we will learn next. What he will reveal. Where we will be led. When is he coming again?
That anticipation leads to preparation.
During Advent, our hope is centered in anticipation on God’s gift of love to his people. The rock and redeemer born of spirit-and-flesh-made-one is the hope of the nations – the restoration of world fallen into darkness; the light on the edge of the dawn of joy.
Our preparation takes on many forms: lighting candles, gather our families for special devotions, perhaps finding those outside our own immediate circle who need encouragement, hope, and the gift of our time or resources.
But overall, let this time of preparation happen in our hearts.
Let us prepare for joy – making room and bowing low in humble thanks. As heaven opens in song to remember the receiving of her king, let us join in with our own song, and repeat the sounding joy. Let us look with hope to the future when sorrow and the infestation of the imperfect will be no more because of God’s blessings that will flow without end. Let us anticipate the future heaven and future earth where God’s peace and truth reigns and the nations celebrate the wonders of his glorious love. Let us repeat the sounding joy.
I pray that the light of preparation will be kindled and renewed in your hearts as we move forward into this season of discovering the greatest gift.
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"Whether immediate or sometime in the unknown future, hope kindles our heart for what’s next." AMEN! So true. Without hope, there can be no anticipation of the future.
ReplyDeleteJust catching up on your posts. This reminded me of several things...
ReplyDeleteStir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine only-begotten Son: that through his coming we may deserve to serve Thee with purified minds: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen
Collect of the Second Sunday of Advent
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King will come to thee, the Holy and Savior.
Offertory of Saturday in Ember Week of Advent (Zach 9:9)
Dear Savior, haste! Come, come to earth. Dispel the night and show your face, and bid us hail the dawn of grace. O come, divine Messiah; the world in silence waits the day when hope shall sing its triumph and sadness flee away.
Refrain from Advent Hymn, "O Come, Divine Messiah"