Sunday, December 1st, 2013click here for past entriesPastor’s Page
Living in Hope
I have a confession to make: I’m a Toronto Maple Leafs fan -- have been for years – in fact, ever since I started watching hockey. What can I say? They were the team I grew up with – the ones who were always on TV. Plus, MapleLeafGardens opened for the first time on the same day as my birthday (even if it was back in the 1930’s). That should count for something, right? – Even if they haven’t won the Stanley Cup (or done much of anything, in fact) in over 40 years.
However, over the years, my hope has waned. I just really don’t expect much of anything from them any more. That way, when they lose it’s really no surprise - and not nearly as disappointing.
The thing is, though, that the Leafs – or any sports team for that matter – are always going to disappoint. As fun as it might be sometimes to cheer for your team (especially when they win), ultimately each organization is made up of fallible human beings. And in the end, it won’t matter. There is nothing the least bit eternal about the Leafs, or the Jets, or any other team you can think of. This, too, shall pass.
In fact, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my [Jesus’] words will not pass away” (Mt. 24:35). During this season of Advent, we are challenged to think about what will really matter in the end. Of course, there are plenty of distractions that vie for our attention this time of year, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of special events and preparations to be made. For many people, it’s entirely possible that there is less time for God during Advent than there is at any other time of year. Yet, it is now, at the darkest time of the year, when we most crave the light of God’s love.
Advent, too, is the season of hope – hope through the coming of Christ. We can think of this hope in Christ’s coming in at least 3 different ways.
Christ’s first coming brought hope because of the knowledge that God had come down. God entered into our human joys and sorrows through Jesus of Nazareth, who is God Incarnate (which means “in the flesh”). We can also think of Jesus as Emmanuel – “God with us.” We have not been left all on our own.
At the same time, Christ comes to us even now. Through the Holy Spirit, and through the Scriptures, and through the sacraments, Jesus continues to come to us and to be with us in the midst of both joys and sorrows. God is still with us – both with us and for us. We do not walk this journey alone.
Finally, we look to the coming of Christ at the end of all things, at the time of God’s choosing. In spite of the way things might look at times, Christ is both ruler and judge. Ultimately, the end of history will be dictated by God, and all that is evil and opposed to God will pass away. This is indeed cause for hope.
While the Leafs might be a very poor place to put our hope, how much better is it to put our hope in Jesus Christ, through whom we have a “living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3)? “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
In Christ,
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
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