"A thrill of Hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn..."
Welcome to Advent, dear friends. This is one of my favorite times of year as it holds a mystery, a wonder, and a great hope.
Advent is the season of waiting before Christmas where we celebrate with expectancy the arrival of our Savior King. It is also a time where we look ahead to Christ's second coming. A time when He will bring full and complete restoration and redemption.
I imagine the people of Israel all those years ago. Weighed down by sin, oppression, and legalistic practices, longing with faith and hope for a Savior who was promised to come.
And maybe this season holds such meaning for me because I often find myself with similar emotions - feeling the indescribable weight of longing for Christ to return again - to wipe our tears and pain away (Revelation 21:1-8). But, just as the Israelites of old clung to the promises of the prophets, how much more so can we cling to the promises of God that He has given us in His Word Incarnate! We can wait with expectant hope that our Savior has come, and He will come again. And we can rejoice that He took on our flesh, our humanity, our pain to become Emmanuel - God with us.
Reflection: What Scriptural promises of God can you cling to in this Advent season? What fills you with expectant hope in the midst of your struggle? | 
