Advent Sunday 1: Hope

Reflections from Isaiah 9

We walk in the gloom of anguish.

We walk in thick darkness,

              our heads bowed low,

              our hearts burdened heavy,

              our tears breaking out.

 

Sin weighs us down.

Pain, disease, heartache, despair—

They seem to touch every corner

Of our messy and fragile lives.

 

And then—a single spark of hope glows—

When we hear the words of prophecy—

“But there will be no gloom for her who

              was in anguish.”

Light is coming, they say.

The gloom is about to be dispelled.

 

For the Lord has promised to provide—

Miraculously through a baby.

A baby who signaled the return of hope.

For he would be the one to forever

End our tears and sadness and despair.

 

He took it all upon his shoulders,

Bowed his head on the cross,

And conquered death by rising again,

Crushing despair under his heel.

 

So we hope.

We hope this Christmas

With faith that he is coming again

To make all the sad things untrue

And turn the world back to right again.

 

Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash.