December 4, 2020
…and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. – Romans 5:5
Light the first candle of advent, the candle of hope.
What happens when we place our hope in the one who can do more than we ask or imagine?
There’s a story that’s told of a little boy who had fallen in love with music. One day while walking downtown with his parents, he stopped at the window of the local music store. There in the window was an old upright piano. The boy couldn’t wait to convince his mom to come look at it. He ran to catch up to her, snagged her coattail, and asked, “mom come and see, I found what I want for Christmas.”
The boy’s mother went with him to see the piano, he begged and exclaimed how great a Christmas present it would be. His mother simple remarked, with no expression on her face, “we’ll see.” The boy hoped and prayed that his mom would understand his love for music and get him this perfect gift. Even if the piano was old and ‘previously owned’ it didn’t matter to him. He really wanted that piano.
On Christmas morning, the boy woke up with great excitement at what might be waiting for him downstairs, as he made his way out of his room and started that way, he heard the sounds of his older sister already tickling the ivory keys. The boy almost fell down the stairs he was so excited. When he saw it, however, it was not the old upright brown lacquered piano he has shown his mom in the store window. Instead, what was there was a brand new piano! It was as big as life itself, a rich mahogany beaty with a bright red bow on top. The boys wish had come true, but it was even better than he had asked or imagined.
God’s love is like that as we place our hope in Him. We may ask and hope for something, but the gift God gives is bigger than life itself, and better than we can ask or imagine. Even when things don’t seem to be going our way, God has a way of giving us hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. May we rely on the Holy Spirit to give us a hope that does not disappoint in this season as we wait, with great anticipation, what God has in store for our future.
Grace & Peace,
Sam