Clues of Anticipation and Hope
As a child, I waited with anticipation for what would be under the tree each Christmas morning. Before I could read a calendar, clues and hints told me good gifts were coming. I was giddy with hope, daydreaming of curly ribbons and glittery paper hiding treasures of joy. The first clue came in October as stores start to put out their Christmas decorations. Mid-November brought sparkling lights glimmering like pixie dust along the darkened streets. Thanksgiving conversations led to Christmas itineraries. Clues were littered throughout December, starting with the lighting of the Christmas tree all the way till early Christmas morning. Early in the morning, while the sun was sleepily entering the world, I would make my way down the stairs to be welcomed by a brightly lit tree and presents wrapped so pretty under the tree. As I waited for others to wake, I could hardly contain my excitement because I saw the good gifts had arrived.
Silence and Anticipation
Reading throughout the Old Testament, there is a yearning for good gifts. Ebbs and flows throughout bring us to pinnacle highs, like the rule of King David, and dark lows, like the Exile, with a myriad of additional examples from Genesis to Malachi. In their darkest lows, the Israelites held tight to the promise of a Messiah to come and set the captives free. With 400 years between the Old Testament writings and the introduction of Jesus in the Gospels, the Israelites held to hope based on the clues they were given over the years more eagerly than a child on Christmas Eve.
A Clue of Conception
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
A virgin to conceive? Unheard of. Until it wasn’t. When this came to fruition, it was actually quite scandalous. Joseph, who was to be engaged to Mary, was set to leave her once he heard of her conception. Convinced of an extra-marital affair, his plans were made for the next day. But his plans were interrupted by an angel coming to visit him in a dream and to redirect his path back to Mary and to be the earthly father Jesus would need.
The promise of conception with the most inopportune circumstances is easy to dismiss. It’s easy to say Now isn’t the time God. or That’s just a daydream. What if it’s not? What if God has been whispering a promise of conception?
What is the dream we have put away on the shelf? Is it time to receive the hope of a new dream, a new salvation?
A Clue of Response
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2
I cannot think of any holiday which brings out a little child in each of us more than Christmas. We reminisce of our youthful Christmastimes. We live vicariously through our own children, experiencing the sights and sounds of the holiday. Childlike faith for the Christmas miracle is never easier. Jesus embraced children, drawing him closely into His presence. Even as Jesus was on his final trip into Jerusalem, the children praised him, fulfilling the promise referenced above.
Getting older, I see my own jaded heart. I refuse to accept those good things could happen because once too many times, I was let down. Cynicism and weariness have stolen my hope, preventing me from dreaming big dreams. Childlike faith seems near impossible. But, if I prevent myself from dreaming big dreams, then hope is crushed before it ever can be conceived.
Can we embrace childlike faith that God will lead us to the plans He has in store? Can we trust He has good plans as promised in His word?
A Clue of Freedom
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn…” Isaiah 61:1-2
After being removed from their land during the Exile and then allowed to return under the secular rule, they lived as foreigners in their own land. They were waiting for the promised king who would ride in and override the tyranny they lived under. More than that, they hoped for good things like no more broken hearts, no more captivity, release from darkness, and so on. If you continue in this passage, you will find hope for the Lord’s favor, a crown of beauty rather than ashes, and a double portion of inheritance rather than the shame they were familiar with.
I recognize our privilege of living in a democratic country with the freedoms to openly practice our faith, speak out boldly my opinions on a matter, and enjoy basic needs without worry. Like many others, though, I have experienced my own internal battles, which kept me bound from freedom for many years. Battling mental illness and a strong predisposition to emotional vacillation, I recognize my deepest need for a Savior, an outside entity to come into my bondage, to wage my war on my behalf, and to remove me from my own chains. I see that being set free once wasn’t enough but that I also need ongoing comfort in my grief and a teacher guiding me on how to live free. This is the Holy Spirit.
Where are we bound today? Where do we need a Savior to step in to redeem freedom?
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