“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.” ~Isaiah 130:5
This week I have been struck with the Advent themes of waiting and hope. The more I meditate and contemplate these themes on Scripture, the more I realize how much waiting and hope go hand and hand; they really can not be separated. It is difficult to wait without hope in confident expectation in what will come and what has already started within us.
Henri Nouwen reflects on waiting and hope based on trusting God’s promises, trusting His word….
“People who wait have received a promise that allows them to wait. They have received something that is at work in them, like a seed that has started to grow. This is very important. We can only really wait if what we are waiting for has already begun for us. So waiting is never a movement from nothing to something. It is always a movement from something to something more …. Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary were not filled with wishes. They were filled with hope. Hope is something very different. Hope is trusting that something will be fulfilled, but fulfilled according to the promises and not just according to our wishes. Therefore, hope is always open ended.”
Henri Nouwen reflects on waiting and hope based on trusting God’s promises, trusting His word….
“People who wait have received a promise that allows them to wait. They have received something that is at work in them, like a seed that has started to grow. This is very important. We can only really wait if what we are waiting for has already begun for us. So waiting is never a movement from nothing to something. It is always a movement from something to something more …. Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary were not filled with wishes. They were filled with hope. Hope is something very different. Hope is trusting that something will be fulfilled, but fulfilled according to the promises and not just according to our wishes. Therefore, hope is always open ended.”
(From “Waiting for God” by Henri Nowen in Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas)
While this Advent I find myself often yearning for something more for those who are suffering and living in poverty, I take hope in God's promises and His word. Promises like Isaiah 40:31, “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
This second Sunday of Advent I light the second candle of love. As I move from the theme of hope to love, I pray I can be attentive to God’s love in my life and all around me. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit help me know your love more deeply. Teach me to love like you!
While this Advent I find myself often yearning for something more for those who are suffering and living in poverty, I take hope in God's promises and His word. Promises like Isaiah 40:31, “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
This second Sunday of Advent I light the second candle of love. As I move from the theme of hope to love, I pray I can be attentive to God’s love in my life and all around me. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit help me know your love more deeply. Teach me to love like you!
0 comments:
Post a Comment