Advent 2023 - Hope ~

I recently started transferring slides that my parents had into digital photos on my phone. In the slides that I've been taking pictures of there are several pictures of Christmas trees and decorations from the 1970s. When I was growing up we always put little icicles that make the tree shimmer. These were fun to see but they go everywhere and you see them around the house for the next six months. Seeing them always gave me hope for the next Christmas season.

Maintaining hope in a God that we cannot see is challenging. How much easier it would be if he was still a pillar of fire or a pillar of smoke and we could all go to one place and see it!

But how much better it is that he wants a relationship with us here in this fallen world that Jesus invaded and then punched a hole in for us to be able to get out. God's love for us, and the caring he has is just so amazing. Yet so many people don't ever experience God's love because they can't touch it or smell it or see it.

Looking back at the slides again and the pictures of Christmas, I'm reminded of decorations, of gifts, and trying to capture that feeling that we just can't capture anymore. We just don't get up to that level of dopamine now.

How burned out our dopamine channels must be from all the stimulation that we give them now. How hard it is to get that feeling of being close to God or even of feeling His presence. And the upside down nature of God's kingdom, like the Israelites, we expect some presence that will dominate and command and take over, but because this is not his kingdom, it's different here.

The last will be first. Believe like a child.  Jesus told his disciples that he was going to go and give himself away for them and us but then got down on his knees and made sure they were clean before he left.

A seed falling to the ground the seed seems useless and worthless but becomes so much more than a seed when it sprouts and grows.

My prayer for you this week is that you find hope in the Christmas story.


Bonus material:
This is the hope for the evil that affects your life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dEh25pduQ8

Phil Wickham - Living Hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI06nLHVzDw