A few years ago, I did an advent quiz on Facebook, uploading pictures each day that spelt words, eventually making a phrase relevant to the Christmas season and what it means to me.
I didn’t plan to do one this year. Work is busy etc. A few days before December began, however, I was listening to some Christmas music, and last year’s excellent album from Emmanuel, ‘The Gift’. I was listening to ‘Oh Holy Night’, possibly my favourite carol and one I am very familiar with. Often though, lines stick out to me in a new way.
‘A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.’
These words struck me powerfully. Our world is weary at the moment. 2020 has presented a whole host of challenges to our physical and mental health, job security, finances, education and spiritual life too as well as many other things. People are tired, fed up and ... weary. Never has this line been more relevant.
Fortunately, the thrill of hope remains. Despite all that continues to happen, there is a sure and certain hope that is at the centre of what we celebrate at Christmas.
God stepped down. He came and lived a human life on Earth so he would know exactly what we experience.
When I started this advent code, I thought sympathetically of friends in the north who found themselves in ‘Tier 3’ and who were quite restricted in many ways similar to how we were in the Spring.
Christmas plans have been made and adjusted several times and 2 days before Christmas we discovered we were moving to Tier 4 from Boxing Day. We’ve gone from visiting to going for a walk outside to now making zoom plans. I am grateful for family time on Christmas Day, which has been denied to many millions this year who are far worse off than we are.
Meanwhile, lorries queue at borders, viruses mutate, governments debate and negotiate the future of how countries relate to each other, we have a new president in the USA and opinion is sharply divided there.
Never has the ‘weary world’ been so relevant.
Wonderfully, the hope remains steadfast. It never changes. ‘Hope’ isn’t an uncertain commodity here. A sure and certain hope is something you know will happen. Many hope that the vaccine will restore order to our lives during 2021, and it probably will to some degree. However the exact nature of life going forward is filled with uncertainty. Eternally, though, we can hope in something sure and certain.
We can celebrate Jesus’ birth with joy whatever life is throwing at us. Those who have known this hope for some time - does it thrill you still? Those looking in, come and investigate. Those not interested, I pray you find reason to be so.
You can rejoice. Accept the invitation of Jesus and you will rejoice along with many others in this weary world. And your rejoicing won’t be tempered by your weariness. Life isn’t easy. Jesus’ message was exactly that.
“In this world you will have trouble”. (John 16 v 33).
But equally..
“ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What a thrilling hope!
I think the book of Psalms articulates this dual feeling of frustration at our circumstances alongside wonderful hope in Jesus so well. I have revisited Psalm 27 many times this year at different points.
The Lord is my light and my salvation
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Saviour.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Merry Christmas and a hope-filled new year to you all. 😃🎄🌟
