the last few weeks or so i've been sitting with the word 'advent'. it's a word derived from adventus, a latin word that means 'coming' or 'arrival'. during the roman empire, adventus was the formal occasion of the emperor's triumphant entry into a city. this often occurred after a military victory, it was a time for the city would gather to marvel at the power of their ruler.
fast forward to 2023: modern day civilization. we're about a week into advent. a season that is often connected with chocolate calendars and counting down the days until christmas. it's a season of mall santas and perfectly wrapped gifts. marshmallows overflow from mugs of cocoa. bright lights and voices of carolers fill the streets. all lovely things, with the exception of kids singing -- that's terrifying.
what does advent mean for us in 2023? the message has not changed. we are in a season that reminds us of the hope, peace, joy, and love we have in Jesus. it's a season of expectancy. this first week of advent focuses on hope. the dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. in faith, it is the confident expectation in what God has promised.
to be honest, my hope has been a little shaky these days. i've been afraid to voice outloud the intimate details of my longings because i don't want to be let down by God. but...i know that He won't let me down. He never has. at some point though, i have put more trust into the the promise than i have the Promiser. in trusting the promise, i can easily find myself taking control and future tripping, causing damage in my wake. in trusting the Promiser, i can hold things with open hands because i know that He is for me and His promise will fall into place. and there's something so beautiful about that waiting period; it drives us to press further into our relationship with Jesus.
when i think about the scars my heart carries, i can easily allow myself to go through a crisis of faith. pages of my journal are filled with my wrestlings with the Lord -- asking Him question after question, crying out. but more importantly, those same pages express the hope i have that He'll carry me through the pain. and He has. time and time again. the scars are markers of my faith. the pain of the scar tissue reveals my faith, rather than tests it.
beyond wounding, there is hope in all the good, beautiful, wonderful, lovely things that surround us -- no matter how big or small they may be. if you've been following me on instagram, you know that i love my daily walks to check in on the ducks on my favorite trail. there is something very hopeful in anticipating that i'll see them every day. they remind that life exists in all seasons. there's hope in my relationships that provide fun and depth. there's hope in the alpenglow of the mountains.
it is humbling to meditate on the fact that God created space and the landscapes of the world while also creating us. the details of my life are just as important to Him as glacial rivers, duck families, grains of sand, constellations, and the life at the bottom of the ocean. we are each our own little landscape and ecosystem -- we have our own craters, our own sun. our dreams are flowing rivers and our longings are growing fauna.
there's hope in that.
so. this week of hope, i'm reminded of the hope i've had in the past. but more importantly, i'm reminded of the hope i have in the present. the hope of expectation. the hope that we have in our King and His arrival.
xoxo
-A
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