Advent Hope: Looking Forward with Confidence
(4 Minute Read)
By Heidi Schartner
It’s the season of Advent! For children’s ministry leaders, this can bring a mixture of joy and sheer terror. Yes, we are excited for Christmas but there’s soooo muuuch toooooo dooooo.
Over the next four weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at hope, peace, joy and love. In midst of all of the craziness and busyness, our prayer is that you can settle with a cup of coffee or tea (and maybe that piece of cake you’ve been hiding for a special occasion!) and settle in for a quick read. Our prayer is that you will find a bit of hope, peace, joy and love to guide you through this season. More importantly, we here at Aweseome KidMin want you to remember that you are amazing and an exceptional child of God. Whatever lies ahead this month, please remember that!
The first advent is that of hope. When you think of hope, what word comes to mind? For me, I think of excitement or trusting that something will happen. The very opposite of its meaning is despair. The one definition I came across was ‘not having any choices’. Understanding its counterpart almost makes the word hope have more hopefulness doesn’t it? To not have any choice is debilitating. And yet, to have the freedom to choose is liberating. In fact, freedom of choice brings us hope.
So why is hope part of Advent? It is for the same reason we have the same hope today; Jesus came as a light in this world. Jesus came to give all people salvation. Jesus came to give all people grace. Jesus came to give all people forgiveness. The prophets foretold the coming Messiah. The Old Testament is filled with this promised hope of a coming saviour. And hope finally arrived in the form of a baby.
We have a tendency to water down this word ‘hope’ and can use it in such a cavalier way. “I hope I make this traffic light.” “I hope we don’t have to go to that event.” “I hope that gift order comes in time!” But this is not the true meaning of hope! Jesus is the true meaning of hope; He is the very reason we can have confidence in our future, whatever lies ahead. The prophets had no idea when the Messiah would come but they trusted that the Scriptures would be true.
Where are you needing to trust right now? Is it within your ministry, with your fellow workers or perhaps within your own family? Remember this dear friend: the hope Jesus gives us is sure and steadfast. We do not need to live in despair. However, it is our choice to either live in hope or to live in doubt. Some days, it is easy to say ‘I TRUST!”. Other days, well, not so much. Good thing our Lord and Saviour loves us immensely and doesn’t change. He’s so very patient with us, isn’t he?
“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love…” (Psalm 33:18)