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Submitted by Lara Cook
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Hope It is the Advent season again. It seems it rolls around so much quicker every year. And quite honestly, every year, it seems the world is more and more absent of hope. This year our world, believers and unbelievers alike, needs hope more than anything else.

Recently there has been suicides, tragic deaths, horrible diagnoses, all in the midst of the season of Thanksgiving, and it just keeps coming. How is a heart to give thanks when it is consumed by so much darkness? And how is a heart supposed to have hope when it seems that there is no point - in the midst of so much heartbreak and disappointment? Sometimes it feels impossible to have even a shred of hope in in what seems to be a cold, cruel, and unmerciful world.

The key word there is world. We are in this world, but not of this world. We are only part timers here and the real hope and victory over all the horrible things this world offers are beyond any life here on earth. The only ticket into that place is Jesus Christ. He is the Hope. He is our only Hope.

Advent season is all about the anticipation and the waiting for the coming of Christ. One of the candles of the Advent wreath symbolizes Hope - Hope in the coming of Christ. The baby Jesus came and brought Hope to all. He brought hope in a world wrought with suicide, tragic deaths, horrible diagnoses; and most of all, He brought the hope of salvation from our sin. He took upon Himself all our unrighteousness so that we may become righteous and He died the death we deserve.

Jesus Christ is the only hope that can overcome this hard world. He is the only answer to any of life’s problems and the only light at the end of the tunnel. The anticipation of the long awaited Messiah was fulfilled in His birth and now we await His return. So the season of Advent continues and we wait in great anticipation of the culmination of all hopes fulfilled. Our Hope is in Jesus and His gift of eternal life. In Him, wrongs are righted, wounds are healed, death becomes life, sins are washed away, and eternal hope resides.

In this season of anticipation, don’t be distracted by all the heavy stuff going on all around you. Remember the hope of Jesus, the gift of eternal life He gives, and spread this hope to those around you.

Scripture to Claim I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5