A Little Bit of Hope - A Start to Advent

    Christmas is coming! Its time to start preparing and getting in the Christmas spirit! Get out the lights, put up the tree, and start blaring Christmas music! These are some of my favorite Christmas traditions. And the church has its traditions for the Christmas season too. The most popular is advent.
    Advent is a season of five Sundays during the Christmas season in which you prepare your heart to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is represented by lighting candles that hold their own symbolic meaning. The first Sunday of advent was celebrated last week, November 28th. The candle of hope was lit.
     Below is what was read on Sunday morning at my church.

 

1^st Sunday – Hope

On this first Sunday of Advent, we begin by lighting the “Candle of Hope.”  By putting one’s hope in God is to refuse to place one’s final confidence in the created order.  Although automobiles will break down and our homes will need repair, our never changing God is our rock, our refuge, and our fortress.

Our hope is in God, and in the Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit; that all three have proven their worthiness of our trust.

 As we light this candle of “hope,” let us always remember that Christ will fulfill all of God’s promises to us.

 (Light the HOPE candle)

 Let us pray, Loving God, thank you for the hope that you offer through your son Jesus Christ.  Fill us with your Spirit of hope and allow us to convey that hope to others as we take each step for You.  We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

"Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken."
Psalm 62:5-6