HOPE

The four Sundays preceding Christmas Day, are known as the Advent (meaning “Coming” in Latin), the season in which Christians celebrate of the birth, or the “coming” of Jesus Christ. Christians use candles to highlight the four Sundays and weeks of Advent in preparation for and remembrance of the real meaning of Christmas. Different meanings are attached to Advent candles. For our purposes here, the candles on the Advent wreath symbolize four virtues, Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The candles are lit in that order each week, for four Sundays before Christmas Day.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING FOR THIS CHRISTMAS?

If you could hope for a gift with no limits, one already paid for—how about a world in which “the former things have passed away?” How about a “ new heaven and a new earth?” How about . . .

         A WORLD WITHOUT TIME

                  by Mary B. Haight

        I want to live in a world without time,

    A world where events aren’t arranged in a line.

    A world that just is, without schedules or clocks

          That tick away seconds in hourly blocks.

      A world full of light that no darkness invades,

  Where skin doesn’t wrinkle and hope doesn’t fade.

A world blessed with peace where time has stood still

        And no one grows old, falls apart or gets ill.

   A world where each life is preserved without stain,

     As precious as rose petals glistening with rain.

           I want to live in a world that’s complete,

       Where everything falls into place and is neat.

        A world that is just, without cunning and lies

             That steal away truth ’til integrity dies.

         A world full of grace, without condemnation.

      Where children don’t cry, there’s no degradation.

A world blessed with holiness because sin has vanished,

    With Satan’s dominion to the pit has been banished.

          A world where Christ, in His glory supreme,

         Reigns over the earth like a marvelous dream.

                 I want to live in a world without time,

          A world where events aren’t arranged in a line.

            A world that’s not ruled by sunset or dawn

       But by a Savior who loves me, and has all along.

           A world that’s not finite, nor ending in death

     But is found in the sound of my sweet Savior’s breath.

       This world is His Kingdom, He’s made it complete

          With all things in place and everything neat.

          He’s made it for all who believe and are true.

       It’s a world without time and He’s made it for you.

HOPE IS A FEELING

that what is wanted can be had, that events will turn out for the best.

“Then I (John) saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”