Hope

November 29th, 2023
by Kenny Olive

This week, one our iLove Elders, Kenny Olive, is our guest writer. I hope that you enjoy his Words for Wednesday!
Advent Week 1 – HOPE
Do you remember as I do, as a child, the realization and anticipation of Christmas morning was something where you were just beside yourself with waiting and wanting? My hope was in believing with all my heart that Christmas Day WAS coming. My wish was for my first “Deluxe” Chemistry set, and my parents granted my wish. But I didn’t know it was going to happen until I tore off that first inch of wrapping paper. By the way, that Chemistry Set had 1,001 experiments and I did every one of them twice.
Today, as we enter the Christmas season, we also enter the time of one of the most important Christian observances, Advent. Advent means arrival or coming. For Christians, Advent is a word of anticipation. It occurs in a season of great expectations. But what is Advent? Advent is preparing our hearts for not only the celebration of Christ’s birth, but the anticipation of the certain second coming of Jesus.
The first week of Advent is about Hope. The candle that is lit this week is the “Prophecy Candle”. Some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah prophesies - Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel.”
For some 700 years, the Israelites placed their HOPE in their belief that their Messiah was “on the way.” Matthew 1:18-23 is the record of Isaiah’s prophesy fulfilled.
Today, some 2,000 years later, we also have the HOPE of Advent. As modern-day Christians OUR HOPE is in the second coming of Christ, which was also foretold by many writers in the New Testament, Hebrews 9:28 “…so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation, without reference to sin, to those that eagerly await him.”
We need not wish for Christ’s return, because He is our HOPE. And even though our Hope may be “down the road”, because even the angels do not know the date or time, we should eagerly await His certain return because we KNOW in our hearts He IS coming.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s Words for Wednesday.
Blessings,
Kenny Olive