1st Sunday of Advent . . .
Anticipating God’s Gift of Hope
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace
because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit . . . Romans 15:13
Anticipating God’s gift of Hope through the Kaleidoscope . . .
Look through a kaleidoscope, close your eyes and imagine the images you saw as a child, or use the link below (*)
to watch the movement. Look into the tube of mirrors, reflections, and bits of colored glass . . . See the patterns fall gently like snow as the images slowly change. Light and color that create beauty from the broken pieces . . . light
and color that get more vibrant as we come closer to arrival of The Light, the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Find Hope in the coming of Christ through the images of the kaleidoscope . . . a visual testament of Christ’s pure light blending our brokenness into beautiful.
“You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth” . . . Psalm 65:5
Thoughts for today & tomorrow . . .
Anticipation . . . filled with eagerness, looking forward to, expecting . . . hope.
Christmas is a time to remember that hope is alive. The reminder comes with the birth of the Child.
Hope is being able to see that there is light, despite the darkness that tries to encroach into our lives.
The darkness will not overcome The Light that is Christ.
Anticipation during the holiday season ought to be a positive emotion, though many struggle through the holidays
for a variety of reasons. And for those who are struggling, we add extra prayers . . . so that you realize that you are
loved, cared about, and God is always with you.
Hope means to trust in, wait for, look for, or to expect something beneficial in the future . . . something positive in the days to come.
In the midst of everything . . . storms, suffering, joys, celebrations . . . God is at work in your life. You may not always be aware of His presence, but He is there—often answering you when you least expect it.
With hope, there is trust and a willingness to wait for God, so anticipate finding hope . . . when you drop the doubts
and trust in the Lord, a sliver of light can break through the dark and the Light of Christ can warm your soul and
brighten your path into tomorrow.
“O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you,
O Lord, from childhood” . . . Psalm 71:5
Hope is a simple word . . . and can mean so many things. Often intertwined as faith and hope, faith is understanding
and believing in what is today: hope helps you move forward, anticipating what is to come, and understanding there
is a new day tomorrow.
“Through Christ you have come to trust in God.
And you have placed your faith
and hope in God” . . . 1 Peter 1:21a
Reflections of Hope . . .
Find an index card, journal, scrap of paper . . . write down, even fill it, with your hopes and prayers . . .
God is listening!
What are you anticipating this season?
What are you hoping for in your life?
Can you let yourself trust the Lord to lead you into tomorrow?
Keep it close by and revisit what you’ve written when you need a reminder of where your hope is leading you,
where your heart wants to be, this season.
Remember to pray . . .
Have you prayed today?
Do you ever talk to God?
Stop in the moment and talk with the Lord . . . ask Him to illuminate the goodness, wholeness, and hope He sees
in you. Quietly listen and know He is with you.
He’s waiting . . . He’s listening!
Anticipate God’s gift of The Light . . . Choose hope!
