Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Advent (Part 3: The Hope Candle)

This Sunday we lit the Hope candle. At one time in my life I thought hope was not important. I thought it was overrated. I thought that there was no substance to it. Looking back, I see how foolish I was.

So many people see hope as only a future possibility. I see hope as so much more. I see hope as having substance now because Jesus is not just waiting passively for us on the other side, he's passionately engaging us now. The substance of Hope is not just a future possibility, its also a present reality. Our hope has substance now, because God is at work in our lives and in the world around us. Jesus made it clear that once his physical life was done on earth, we would not be left as orphans, but that the Holy Spirit would come to guide us into all truth.

The Holy Spirit living inside us now is our hope for our present reality. The fulfillment of the Kingdom of God in Christ is our future reality. The substance of hope is not just something to be longed for, its something to be grasped now.

May your eyes be opened to the hope that is now and to the hope that is to come during this Advent season.

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