Advent 1: HOPE
Passages (NIV): Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 2:25-33
Preacher: Mark Kingston
Defining hope is tricky. It’s often confused with optimism or ambition, but true hope is that deep-down knowing that insists, “Life is tough right now, but it won’t always be like this.”
Lately, holding onto that feeling has been hard. Statistics Canada tell us that this year, fewer Canadians feel hopeful about the future today compared to just a few years ago. But the season of Advent challenges us not to lose heart. To understand how, we can look at two ancient stories.
The first story involves Isaiah, who lived during a terrifying time of imminent invasion by a foreign power. In the middle of that darkness, God gave him a specific promise: that present suffering wouldn’t have the last word: light would eventually dawn through a child who would bring lasting peace. Christian hope isn't about ignoring reality; it flourishes in the gap between what is currently broken and what God has promised to heal.
However, that promise took 700 years to come true! This leads to the second story about Simeon, an old man who waited his entire life to see it happen. He didn’t rush the timeline. He stayed close to God, waiting with patience, until he finally held that promise - the baby Jesus - in his arms.
Let’s be honest: holding onto hope in the midst of our pain or incompleteness isn’t easy; it requires prayer and deep dependency. It often feels easier to numb the pain by distracting ourselves on our phones or TVs, or placing our security in things we can control, like our bank accounts. But neither of those things really make us feel better. It’s only “hope-in-God” that carries the promise that one day, everything will be healed and made whole. That is God’s promise alone, and because He is faithful to it, we can actually relax.
To relax, in this sense, means to settle into God’s presence and trust Him with the timeline. We don't need to fret by trying to control the method or the schedule; we just need to stay in His company along the journey. He will nudge us when the time is right. This shifts our mindset from “I hope this happens soon” to “I will stay with You, God, even if it takes a lifetime.”
So take a quiet moment to ask yourself what you are truly longing for, and offer it to God, knowing that hope rooted in Him is never wasted.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Identifying the Gap True hope lives in the gap between what is currently broken and what will eventually be healed. Where do you feel that gap most acutely in your own life right now?
Checking Your "Numbing" Habits When holding onto hope feels like too much work, we often turn to "easy alternatives" to cope—like distraction (endless scrolling) or false security (obsessing over plans or finances). What is your specific "go-to" habit when you just want to numb the discomfort of waiting?
Reframing the Timeline Do you find that your hope is usually conditional on things happening soon? How might your perspective change if you shifted your internal monologue from "I need this to happen now" to "I will stay close to You, God, while I wait"?
Learning to Relax We can "relax" because the ultimate promise depends on God’s faithfulness, not our frantic efforts. Is there a specific situation where you are currently trying to micro-manage the outcome? What would it look like to stop fretting about the schedule and simply trust His company in that area today?
Naming the Longing What are you truly longing for right now? Take a moment to name it honestly—even if it feels risky, painful, or impossible—and simply offer that desire to God without trying to fix or solve it yourself.
