A thrill of hope in a weary world

So, over the last few weeks, I have been contemplating the lines of this incredible song, "O, Holy Night." The lines that are playing over and over in my head are this: "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

I have felt especially contemplative this advent season.  I'm not sure what it is, the fact that I have been in the Bible for 40 + hours a week the last 3 months, the fact that I haven't been in charge of anyone or anything outside my family for the last 3 months, or the reality of the seemingly increasingly weary world that we are living in.  I can't help but ask myself if the weariness is actually increasing, or if my eyes are opening more and more to the reality of mankind's need for a savior.  The reality is, that left to our own devices, when we reject God - his ways and his Lordship, we reek havoc on ourselves, on others, and on the world around us.  The mess of the world we see around us  is simply the reality of mankind trying to do it his own way.  And in the midst of this mess that the enemy would have us believe is too far gone, and beyond repair, I hear God breathe HOPE, over and over and over again.  A sense of hope that goes deep into my bones, and reminds me of that glorious morn that broke over 2,000 years ago.  God saw it as the BEST plan to send his Son, as a human baby, to live on earth among us, and die for our sins....to come into the mess that we had created - to live in it, and then to die for us, so that we did not have to remain stuck in our mess.  God- our creator- was born a baby; completely reliant on his mom - a human being that he created.  A thrill of hope for a weary world.

Yes, the world is weary, it is messy, BUT God!  We cannot forget that God is at work in his creation, and God brings hope.  God has been challenging me lately to keep my faith in what HE says, and not in the reality that I see around me.  To trust that he is at work in ways that I cannot see.  And so, I will go on spreading hope, and telling people that their Creator loves them, and has life and hope for them.  Because over 2,000 years ago this incredible thing happened - a savior was born.

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.'" Luke 2:10-12

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.