Hope

I've been trying to live with the first word of Advent this week. When the candle of Hope was lit it was an invitation to hold on to that which is not yet. To know that the world that is right now is not the world that God desires. This kind of hope isn't the hope of a child hoping for a train set under the Christmas tree, but rather a longing for that which will return the world to God's original design.
This hope is what I am trying to hold on to right now. It isn't easy to have this kind of hope because there isn't a lot of affirmation that the hope will be fulfilled. It is hope that doesn't see the dawn coming and has no idea how long the night will last. It is a hope that things will change even when things seem to be getting worse. It is the hope to live for that makes it possible to get up and put your feet on the floor for another day. It is the hope of those who have nothing else to hold on to in life. It is the hope of Jesus Christ. It is the hope I need. It is the hope I want. It is the hope I hold on to and that carries me through.
Thanks for the word and thanks for the Hope, Jesus.