Advent

Advent started in darkness. The world was in darkness. Joseph finds out his wife his pregnant though he never had sex with her. King Herod murders thousands of baby boys searching for the messiah. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee to Egypt as refugees. They hide for two years trying to escape slaughter.

Advent season promises light. A savior is born in an unlikely way in a unlikely place. Hope is born into a dark world. Advent shows us that light can shine through the darkness. Advent directs us back to the light. Advent breaks through the darkness.

So we prepare. We hope. Our world today is a lot of darkness. Terror and fear running rampant. People being persecuted, tortured, and murdered for their faith or their ethnicity or culture. People living in terror and believing the worst about their neighbors. Mass shooting after mass shooting. Injustice and darkness feels like it reigns in our country and in our world.

But we hope. We hope and look to the light to be stronger than the darkness. We prepare our eyes and our hearts to see the light. We cry out to Jesus to see the light breaking through.

From the prophet Isaiah:

"Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."