Not Your Typical Church Lady

"Here is a statement you can trust, one that fully deserves to be accepted (indeed, it is for this that we toil and strive): we have our hope set on a living God who is the deliverer of all humanity, especially of those who trust."

~1 Timothy 4:9-10, CJB

Nov. 29 was the first Sunday of Advent, a time when we collectively turn our thoughts toward the celebration of Christmas-the celebration of the birth of Christ. Folks begin to put up their nativity sets, Christmas lights, trees and decorations. Some started doing this weeks before for optimal enjoyment. Others are still thinking about it (me). Personally, I'm a winter hibernator; my body insists that we fall asleep as soon as it gets dark. This can be problematic since it gets dark at 5 p.m.and the 7-year-old in our house does not agree with this philosophy. A young body's circadian rhythm does not seem to be affected by the rising and setting of the sun, whereas the elders in this house have to prop their eyelids open with toothpicks just to stay awake past 7 p.m. Because of this and the consequential short bursts of energy to get things done, we are a little behind with our Christmas decorating.

That is not to say that I don't enjoy seeing all the lights, displays and nativity scenes. Those things are wonderful and they come at a time of year when we need more light in our lives. ("Obviously," says the Winter Hibernator.) The lights stir hope deep within our souls and lifts our spirits. We lean toward this hope without even thinking about it.

"We have our hope set on a living God who is the deliverer of all humanity." Yes, that is the center of our hope. God is not an immobile object. He is not an idol that can do nothing but sit there. He is the living God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Alef and the Tav, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He is not something that once was and is no more. Nope. God is alive as much today as He was when He created the earth.

We are preparing to celebrate the birth of the Messiah, our deliverer. Because he came into this world and died for our sins, we can have eternal life and hope. We can be reconciled to God. Race, gender, nationality- it doesn't matter. All humanity can be included in this promise. One of the first memory verses that we learn is "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16, KJV).

There is a key part to that verse that we should remember: "whosoever believeth in Him." We have free will to make our own decisions. God gives us the ability to choose to believe and follow him, or to reject him and continue down our own path. God does not want puppets. Humans want puppets. God already has all the power and the glory. He's already the master and king of the universe. Humans will force things on other people. God will not. That is a whole other topic. The point is, it is our decision whether or not we give our hearts to Jesus. Jesus is the hope that this world had waited for. We hope and wait for his second coming as well. Jesus is the light this world needed and still needs. Is it too soon to share a few favorite Christmas verses?

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:8-14, NIV).

So enjoy the lights! If you're able, take a little drive after dark and find some to look at. (I know not everyone can get out to do that. Some find it hard to see to drive after dark. Others have a hard time staying awake after dark, as we established a few paragraphs ago.) It's nice to see something bright shining in the dark. It lifts the spirits and brings a childlike joy back to our hearts. Joy is a good thing! Let it pour out, unchecked and unashamed. Think of the shepherds seeing the angels that night. Think of the joy and hope they felt when they heard the good news. The Savior has been born, the deliverer of all humanity, especially of those who trust. May we embrace this hope and joy this Advent season and throughout the year.