First Week of Advent - Hope

People usually associate the word hope with wishful thinking. If we hope something will happen, we have no control over whether or not it will take place. 

But the biblical sense of hope is very different. Hope, in the Bible, exists as a secure assurance, a trust placed in a trustworthy God. God has not failed us in the past, and therefore, if he claims he will do something in the future, we can have a hope that he will fulfill that claim. 

Throughout the first week of Advent, Christians reflect on the theme of hope and the idea that Christ's coming into the world brings hope to a world in need of salvation. It's a time for believers to meditate on the prophecies in the Bible, such as those in the book of Isaiah, that foretell the birth of the Messiah. The liturgical color associated with this week is typically purple or blue, symbolizing anticipation, penance, and preparation.

Hope waits and endures. It isn’t flimsy or merely wishful thinking. It can withstand fire, trials, and despair.

Excerpted from Christianity.com For more on the First Week of Advent, read here.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
 And ransom captive Israel,
 That mourns in lonely exile here
 Until the Son of God appears.
 Rejoice! Rejoice!
 Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”