Advent is a strange season. As the days become shorter, our hope grows stronger. The more darkness there is, the more we anticipate the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World. That is a strange kind of hope.
Isaiah the prophet seems to understand something of this peculiar hope associated with Advent. He is sad and disappointed that the people have not paid much attention to God. God has every right to simply turn his attention elsewhere and, in fact, that seems to be what happened. Yet Isaiah is still bold enough to expect God to pay attention to his people. (“Yet, you O Lord are our Father”). There lies the truth. The only solid, unshakable ground of hope is God’s free choice to love us. God’s faithfulness is far more secure than our good works.
Or to put it a different way: God’s determination to love us into the fullness of life is stronger than our weakness and more true than our wandering hearts. The question of Advent becomes, “What now do I do with this hope?” Do I use it or do I try to keep it like a secret weapon only for real emergencies.
Hope is meant to be more than a “safety net.” Hope is a gift which can give direction and character to our lives. If we daily claim our hope then it is possible to look to the future and move toward a dream. With a clear consciousness of God’s faithfulness and determination on our behalf, we can find freedom. Freedom from the fear of mistakes which can create a prison. Freedom from the experience of our own limits — “I guess I am not good enough so why try.” With hope, life can become an adventure — a journey filled with uncertainty and still characterized by assurance. Our destiny to be with God is not a creation of our own imagination. It is a vision based on God’s commitment and promise.
The work of Advent is to find ways to be watchful. To find ways to use our gift of hope to help us be free to love and serve God with imagination and growing dedication.