Happy December Everyone!!
The Christmas season is fully upon us. I don’t know about you, but Advent is something kind of new to me and not a tradition I did with my family growing up. A friend sent me a little bit of information about it, and so with each blog this month, I’m going to incorporate a focus on Advent and whatever else that week brings about as it speaks to me.
The first week of Advent is all about HOPE. Think about hope as you hear Lamentations 3: 21-24:
But this I call to mind,and therefore I have hope:The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,God’s mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“therefore I will hope in the Lord.”
One purple candle is lit and then you recite this prayer by connecting your head and heart.
Let’s say it together. 🗣️🙏🏼
Gracious God, as the Advent season begins, we cry out to You. We come to You looking for hope. When everything else we rely on fails us, our only hope is in You. When we do not understand what has happened, we hope in You. We can hope for better days because we trust You. We know You and we know You are here with us no matter what we are facing. Some of us see only darkness this time of year. Some of us find life overwhelming. Some of us are filled with Advent joy. Wherever we find ourselves today, Loving God, remind us that our hope is in You. Be with us on this journey. Amen.
HOPE arrives…..
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
-Matthew 1:18-23 NKJV
Take a moment to listen to this spoken word by For King and Country:
Won’t You Come - https://youtu.be/Is6Xcc7ixNY
HOPE was conceived in this passage above, and all Mary had to do was breathe in the message/prophecy she was given and fully embrace it. She had to engage her heart in this transition coming to her personally, for HIStory was now being fully embodied inside of her. What a day to be alive! What a nightmare it could have been! We don’t know all the thoughts she battled within. We do know, however, she was found favorable for this assignment and she fulfilled it with hope, grace, mercy, and patience to name a few. To be given this type of story, you have to have some inner strengths and pure character traits to handle the weight of this anointing that would be coming upon her. She was empowered from on high to fulfill the stories prophesied long ago. I’m sure she never dreamt it would go down like this. A shameful circumstance she was potentially walking into and a story a little crazy to explain. Yet, all was handled from on high. He sent messengers and dreams to speak to the ones who needed to be brought into her story to care for her well. This the kind of Father we serve. A provider of hope. A messenger of peace. A carrier of gifts and authority to anoint whoever He deems fit to carry out the messages and missions set before them/us.
Hope is our portion and hope is a person.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
-Hebrews 6:19-20 NKJV
We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold, and where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek.
-Hebrews 6:19-20 TPT
HOPE IS A STRONG, UNBREAKABLE FORCE, HOLDING OUR SOULS TO GOD HIMSELF!
Maybe you can take this little nugget here and recite it each day until we meet again next week. This is your assignment for this week, to write it somewhere you can see it and say it with confidence.
HOPE IS A STRONG, UNBREAKABLE FORCE, HOLDING OUR SOULS TO GOD HIMSELF!
Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat in the heavenly realm!!!
I hope you can believe with me the miracle of a living breathing King governing all things, and that includes you and me. May we take some time to reflect as we remember through the posture of Advent wonder. Hope is here. So, let’s bring others some of this Christmas cheer. Amen.
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Connect to the Mender
Be a Sender
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