Advent of Hope

As we enter this Advent season, my prayer echoes Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:18: “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” Advent is more than a countdown to Christmas; it is an invitation to awaken—to see again, or perhaps for the first time, the unshakable hope the Lord has secured for us in Christ.

Hope is not wishful thinking or sentimental optimism. According to Scripture, hope is rooted in the sovereign purposes of our Lord and anchored in the finished work of Christ Jesus. It is the confident assurance that what He has promised, He will surely fulfill. And it is this hope that Advent invites us to behold.

Paul doesn’t pray that we would get hope, but that we would know the hope already given to us. Through the gospel, the Lord has called us out of darkness and into the marvelous light of His Son. He has opened our blind eyes, softened our hearts of stone, and brought us into a story far greater than our own, a story where Christ is risen, reigning, and returning.

In a world drowning in anxiety, confusion, and unmet longings, Advent calls us to lift our eyes. Our hope is not fragile. It does not rise or fall with circumstances. It is anchored in the resurrection of Christ and guaranteed by the Lord who is faithful.

So this week, pause. Slow down. Let the Spirit enlighten the eyes of your heart. Behold the hope that is yours in Jesus-the hope that steadies weary souls, strengthens faith, and whispers again and again: He is coming.

And in His coming, every promise of the Lord finds its “Yes, and Amen in Christ Jesus” (2 Cor 1:20)

Blessings,

Pastor Kris