SECOND FRIDAY IN ADVENT
Friday, December 10, 2010
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
“THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HOPE” – We are people of hope. I remember the story of a Jewish man in one of Hitler’s concentration camps who lived with the hope of seeing his beloved wife once again. When he got word that she had died in another camp, he too died days afterward. He could not live without hope.
Today I went to the funeral of one of the church’s saints. Doris died with hope. She consciously made the decision to have her respirator turned off knowing full well what it meant. She was tired of struggling and had the hope for a much better existence, the hope of being with our Lord and her beloved husband, Charlie, also one of the church’s saints. With that hope she was able to say her final goodbye.
The pastor’s sermon reawakened in me that hope and the excitement for what is to come. Many of you have heard me say that my favorite line in all of English literature comes not from Shakespeare or the Bible but from Peter Pan. When he had been captured by Captain Hook and was forced to walk the blank. In the water below was Toc, the alligator, waiting for his Peter Pan snack. Certain death awaited him and he boldly announces, “To die will be an awfully exciting adventure!” For Doris death was an awfully exciting adventure.
With that hope I can go boldly into life not fearing its end. As the candles on the Advent wreath grow brighter each week, they remind me that Advent is a time for hope.
SO WHAT do you hope for?
Stir up your power, O Lord and come. Come to us and reawaken in us the hope and excitement for what is to come tomorrow and the next day and on the last day. AMEN
My hope is for my parents, especially my mom. She took in my nephew with his 4 young boys, the oldest being just 3. They have been there for about 2 months now and she can't take a lot more.
ReplyDeleteWe are trying to help out this weekend by taking the 2 middle twins for the weekend. We've only had them for less than 6 hours and my back hurts and I'm tired. I can't imagine what she goes through everyday.
I hope and pray that some sort of resolution comes about and soon.
I hope for a bright and happy future for my daughter =]
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure what I hope for, but I want to hope for (really expectantly wait for) future grace.
ReplyDeleteI hope my boys will grow up to know God's love and feel it surrounding them, and to be open-minded in how they share that love, in turn, with each other and with the broader society.
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