Father, let your Hope be in us always.
Many of us this week have been keeping the candle of Hope lit. Let us keep this flame also alive in our hearts as we prepare a home where Jesus may abide. Let this candle be to us a symbol of the Hope that we are confident of, the Hope that embraces us and fills us with expectation, to know that we could have Hope even in the midst of turmoil and strife. Heavenly Father, let your Hope be in us always, leading us and guiding us onward as we prepare a home for you in our hearts.
“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through His prophet. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.”
Many still have questions about the birth of Jesus, but I do not. I believe God’s word that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and I give God the glory for this gift every day.
Scripture tells us that this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with Child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband, a righteous man, was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18-20
A happy and blessed Advent season is wished to all of you.
During the Advent season five candles are traditionally placed in the Advent wreath which symbolizes God’s love for us with no beginning and no end, and the candles are lit on the Sundays during Advent. The first candle to symbolize hope, the second candle to symbolize peace, the third candle to symbolize joy, and the fourth candle to symbolize love. The fifth candle known as the Christ candle which is white symbolizing purity is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, reminding Christians that Jesus is the light of the world. Is Jesus the Light of your world?
For unto us a child is born and unto us a Son is given! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Jesus is coming, let us prepare for His arrival.
My brother and sisters in Christ, we are now into the Advent season, but what does Advent mean to you? Advent should be for all Christians a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas, as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming. Let us all as Christians, celebrate the Advent season, by preparing a home in our hearts where the Christ-Child may dwell.
“When Jesus comes to reward His servants, whether it be noon or night, faithful to Him will He find us watching, with our lamps trimmed and burning bright?”
Brothers and sisters, “Can we say that we are ready, ready for the soul’s bright home? Say, will He find you and I watching and waiting for the Lord to come? If at the dawn of the morning, should He call us one by one, when the Lord will restore our talents, will He say to us, well done? Have we been true to the trust that He left us, did we seek to do our best? If in our hearts we’ve made him a home, we shall have a glorious rest. Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching, in His glory they shall share. If he shall come at the dawn or midnight, will He find us watching there?”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, “Are you sitting idle? Still, there is work to do; in the Master’s vineyard, there is a place for you, so be a faithful servant, and ever ready stand, where the Master calls you, lend a helping hand.”
“Lend a hand, O, lend a hand, lend a helping hand, weary ones are falling, lend a helping hand, Jesus still is calling, lend a helping hand. Is your voice now silent? There are songs to sing, come and swell the chorus, make his praises ring. Till the strains are wafted, over sea and land, reaching up to heaven, lend a helping hand. Do your prayers no longer reach the throne of grace? Asking that some wanderer might his steps retrace? Earnest prayer may keep him, from the sinking stand, yours today may save him, lend a helping hand.”
“Sowing to the Spirit, sowing day by day, dropping seeds of kindness, all along the way. Sowing to the Spirit, trusting in the Lord, sweet will be the labor, and more blessed the reward.”
“Sowing in the Spirit, praying as we go, from the seed we scatter, soon the blade will grow. Sowing and believing, God will send the rain, we shall see before us, fields of golden grain. Sowing to the Spirit, though our faith be small, sowing in our weakness, though the tears may fall, sowing late and early, till our work is o’re; then will come the reaping, joy for evermore.”
“Oh, scatter the seeds of loving deeds, along the fertile field, for grains will grow from what you sow, and a fruitful harvest yield.”
“Though sown in tears through weary tears, the seed will surely live, though great the cost, it is not lost, for God will fruitage give. The harvest home of God will come, and after toil and care, with joy untold your sheaves of gold, will all be garnered there. For when day by day long the way, the seeds of promise cast, the ripened grain from hill and plain, will be gathered home at last.”
“Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves, waiting for the harvest and the time of reaping we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.” What a day, glorious day that will be!
“Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows, fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze. By and by the harvest, and the labor ended, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Go then ever weeping, sowing for the Master, though the loss sustained, our spirits often grieve, when our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.” Lord, help me every day to sow in the morning, to sow seeds of kindness, sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves, and waiting for the harvest and the time of reaping, I will come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves.