A call for this Advent season

The year has been so long. It has been a year filled with uncertainty and heartache. Loss of life. Loss of jobs. Loss of the businesses which were built from the ground up. Loss of the marriages that could not survive the additional stress.

Good-byes that went unsaid. Last words unheard.

So many need a reason to believe tomorrow will be better. That things will get better. That all isn’t lost.

And that is where the opportunities are born for the follower of Jesus.

To bring a blessing. To help another. To offer hope.

To come into the life of another and bring with us the things the God child brought with Him when He entered into the realm of humanity thousands of years ago, surrounded by animals in a stable in Bethlehem.

His coming had been anticipated for years. The prophets had spoken of the day when the Messiah would come to earth.

And many modern-day followers of Jesus celebrate this time of anticipation by participating in the season of Advent every Christmas season.

The term Advent means, “come.” So, as followers of Jesus, we relive the anticipation of Jesus coming into the world by counting down the days to each December 25th through reading of the Old Testament prophecies and by entering into times of prayer, asking God to bring renewal or a “new birth” to us in areas where we need to be more like Christ.

But the anticipation of the Messiah coming into the world was not just about His birth. The anticipation also included all that would come into the world with the Messiah’s presence.

That He would save His people from their sins. And that He would bring with Him hope, justice, mercy and unconditional love.

And that is where we find ourselves today. Surrounded by many who long to see and experience the actions of hope, justice, mercy and unconditional love.

So, this Advent season, I encourage you to not just think on how Jesus came to live amongst us but also how Him living amongst us and in us allows us to be vessels of hope for those in this broken world.

And let us think on how we will represent the One who came to live amongst us during this year when so many need hope.

May we see those who need to be seen. May we offer unconditional love. May we represent our Messiah by offering mercy, grace and second chances.

Now that the Christmas season has dawned, the hope of the season is anticipated. That relief will come. That peace will be found. That love will be witnessed. That the fighting will cease.

May these things come into the lives of our friends and neighbors, via the actions and deeds of those of us who live for and who have dedicated our lives to the One who came into this world to right wrongs, love the unloved, feed the hungry and bless those in need of a blessing.