Text: Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 1:8-25

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” —Isaiah 7:14

When thrills of hope don’t find you
He loves you just the same
You don’t have to be OK
Just because it’s Christmas

With today being the first Sunday of Advent, those lyrics from Anne Wilson’s “Just Because It’s Christmas” resonate deeply with my soul.

This is that perennial season of decking the halls with all the tinsel and glitter, while the holiday “spirit” can often feel like fabricated joy or pseudo peace. As the songwriter says, “Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean your heart don’t hurt.” It’s fitting to be reminded that everything in your world doesn’t have to be tidied up to worship the King. You don’t have to check your wounds at the door of the stable before coming in to bow down at that manger.

For centuries, Christians around the world have used the four weeks leading up to Christmas to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s a time when we observe his first coming while we also anticipate his second coming—that climactic event when our returning King, righteous and just in every way, will finally rectify every injustice in this fallen world. And over the next four weeks, our devotional series will focus on the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy, as we prepare our hearts to encounter God’s provision of each—even when life hurts or the seasonal “thrills” can sometimes feel… counterfeit.

Hope is essential to the human existence. It’s been said that a person can live forty days without food, four days without water, four minutes without air, but only four seconds without hope. That might be a bit trite, but it certainly underscores the fact that HOPE is a gamechanger. In Hebrew, the word “yachal” means “to wait, tarry, expect, or hope for.” This kind of hope isn’t just wishful thinking or some flimsy “pie-in-the-sky” dreaming. Biblical hope is rooted in the personhood, character, and trustworthiness of the living God and the promises of his covenant.

Noah and his family had to “yachal” (wait) for weeks for the waters to recede after the destruction of a global flood. Micah talked about how farmers “yachal” for the morning dew that nourishes their crops. Israel suffered under the yoke of Egyptian slavery for 400 years before their liberation. Even then an entire generation wandered in the wilderness, gave up hope, and yielded themselves to false gods.

Isaiah prophesied that he was waiting with anticipation for the coming Messiah to save his people from their sins and set up his kingdom reign. His people toiled under Roman occupation for decades before Christ’s birth. But the Messiah finally appeared as promised, even though it had been 400 years since the prophets had spoken—a “silent” period that must’ve tested the hope of even the most faithful.

We have hope of deliverance from the God who hears and is not silent. It can be difficult to feel hopeful, but biblical hope means trusting in God’s character and choosing hope despite our circumstances. This takes a preparation or cultivation of the heart. You may feel like you are in a silent period and all alone. You may be waiting for the waters of tragedy, suffering, loss, or failure to recede. You may be waiting for the alignment of external circumstance to finally “reward” all your hard work and investments. You may be dealing with addiction, mental health struggles, or wavering somewhere between theological doubts and functional idolatry. Yet hope is still near because hope is not a feeling, but a Person.

Advent can be a time for us to repent, believe, and turn away from the false hopes and idols that we have allowed to drive our existence. Advent is a time to find, or rediscover, the reality of Immanuel—God with us, and encounter this living hope in an abiding way.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, no matter what my feelings or circumstances may say, you are true. Thank you for a covenant of faithfulness in which your reputation has never failed. Thank you for your Son, Jesus, the incarnation of that hope. As I go about this Advent season, help me to lean into this living hope and sense your nearness through all the stuff of this holiday season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Advent Reading: Week 1
11/27 Sunday – Matthew 1:8-25
11/28 Monday – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
11/29 Tuesday – Isaiah 9:2-7
11/30 Wednesday – John 17:15-19
12/1 Thursday – Ephesians 1:3-7
12/2 Friday – Isaiah 40: 1-5
12/3 Saturday – Matthew 6:25-34