The Coming Light: A Devotional Guide for Advent—Week One, Hope

Sunday, December 1: Practicing Together

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Practicing Together
(The Practicing Together guide for December 8 is included here, so you can prepare for next week’s gathering.)

Monday, December 2: Devotion

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.  Luke 2:25-33

Hope is the focus of this first week of Advent, and it seems fitting to begin the journey here. Advent is a season of expectation and anticipation, pointing us back to the hope to which the Israelites held for generations. The way we talk about hope in our culture is ineffective at helping us understand the true biblical sense of the word. We say things like, “I hope it doesn’t rain today; I hope my team wins; I hope I get the gift I want for Christmas.” This kind of hope is like wishful thinking, or dreaming. It shows what we desire but carries no sense of guarantee or true probability that it will happen.

Biblical hope is something quite different. It is not wishful thinking but a firm and confident expectation based on God’s character and promises. This hope is like a light shining into the darkness, illuminating our path. It is an “anchor for the soul” (Hebrews 6:19) that is rooted in God himself, not in our efforts or imagination. 

The Israelites clung to this hope for centuries—the assurance that a Savior, the Messiah, would come to bring light into their dark world (Isaiah 9:2). They knew it would happen, but they didn’t know when it would happen. They continued to wait and look forward to the coming of the one who would “reign on David’s throne” and whose government and peace would never end” (Isaiah 6:6-7). 

In his gospel, Luke tells us Simeon was a man whose hope was anchored in God’s promise. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would get to see the Messiah before he died. Year after year, Simeon waited, trusting in God's promise. And one day, his hope became reality when he encountered Jesus at the temple. Just as Simeon saw the fulfillment of God’s promise, we too, celebrate the arrival of Jesus, the Light of the World.

As we reflect on the hope and light Christ brought with his birth, we also recognize that we live in a season of waiting. We are awaiting the second Advent, anticipating the return of Jesus. Our challenge is to live in confident expectation, aware that the hope of Christ’s return transforms how we wait. How are you allowing this hope to guide and light your path? 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of hope that shines through the darkness and anchors our souls. As we reflect on your promises that were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, help us to live in confident expectation of his promised return. Help us not to grow weary in the waiting, but to trust in your unfailing love and goodness toward us. Amen.

Tuesday, December 3: Digging

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Wednesday, December 4: Listening

Imaginative Prayer with Luke 2:25-33

• Prepare: Go to your place of prayer or study and get comfortable. When we use our imagination in prayer, we are not “making” something up; rather, we are using our imagination to have empathy with the people in these narratives as if we were present with them, or as if we were one of the people present.
  This week we are in Luke 2, one of the birth narratives of Jesus. He is eight days old and being presented by his parents, Mary and Joseph, in the temple to be circumcised. This marks his inclusion in the Covenant that Yahweh has with his people Israel. They are greeted by an elderly man named Simeon who takes the baby Jesus in his arms and speaks some weighty words over him.
  Take a moment to relax; ask the Lord to guide and direct your imagination so that you might see and hear what he has for you in this passage.
• Read: Luke 2:25-33 slowly, observing the details to ground your imagination in the text.
• Reflect: Be in the temple, and identify with someone who was present. Are you Mary, new mother of an eight-day old, weary with all that entails? Perhaps you are Joseph, feeling for the first time the responsibility of fatherhood. Or Simeon, full of years and yet on this day surprised by joy? Perhaps you are an observer in the temple to worship, and you overhear this exchange. This is what you bring to the moment. Fill in some details, what do you see around you? What do you hear, the cadence of their voices. Spend some time watching the scene unfold and feeling what it would be like. Receive the words Simeon declares.
• Rest: Rest in the Lord’s presence as you share this moment in his life.
• Respond: Have a conversation with the Lord about what you have experienced, thanking him for this intimate insight into his life.
• Resolve: Perhaps you journal your experience of this passage noting how the exchange affected you. Maybe you can tell it to your children as a story with new details. Certainly take this experience with you as you enter this Advent season of hope.

Thursday, December 5: Seeing