By: Desiree Sowards
Two Decembers ago, my young daughter Lila and I were all light and wonder as we sang Christmas songs and drove through the falling snow. She said, “Mom! If you listen to this song, and watch the trees and houses go by, it’s like you’re really in a story!” And that we are! But our light story turned dark when our route was suddenly obstructed by crime tape and a row of police cars. As we waited for the detour to open up, I pulled up the news. We had missed a fatal shooting by 15 minutes. Another shooting in our little city. And boom! It hit me. Advent.
Advent is defined as the arrival of a notable person or event. That morning Ann Voscamp had blogged, “Don’t tell me to light a candle and just breathe. The world’s on freaking fire!...Where is this thrill of hope that lets the weary world rejoice?” But I’m with Ann in knowing that HOPE is not lost. The darkness is sure dark these days, but the Light of Hope is working its muscles to push out the dark. Society’s muscles aren’t strong enough. The “good of man” won’t overcome this epidemic of the heart because man isn’t all that good. But the One we have been waiting for has come...and He will come again.
Hope is whispering that His promises will be fulfilled, Hope is putting out those blazing fires, Hope is in the eyes of the foster child I met yesterday who feels peace in the moment because he is simply being held securely while his little world is crumbling. So be held. Have hope. And light that candle. A little flicker is enough to welcome our Savior into our mess. That’s why He came. “The
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will NOT overcome it.” John 1:5
