Changed in the Waiting
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - HOPE
December 1, 2024
SCRIPTURE
PSALM 25:1-10
In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
—PSALM 25:1-5
PSALM 25:1-10
In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
—PSALM 25:1-5
Sometimes hope gets mislabeled “naivete,” or “wishful thinking.” But the truest demonstrations of hope tell us nothing could be further from the truth. Hope is not blind, nor does it view the world with rose-colored glasses. Hope lives in the real world and sees things as they actually are, while still holding out for how things should be. Hope does not demand cheer, optimism, or constant positivity.
All throughout Scripture, we find that lament is the language of those who wait in hope. Psalms, Lamentations, and the Prophets are full of honest, gut-wrenching prayers like this: “My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears” (Psalm 6:3, 6).
This may not sound hopeful, exactly. But if hope is to endure through disappointment, grief, and suffering, it must be given space to be honest.
With the voices of Scripture as our witness, hope is not diminished by the voicing of lament—it is actually strengthened. There is a paradox here that is difficult to explain. We ate invited to explore and experience its truth instead.
During this first week of Advent, we will give ourselves to the practice of lament as we are strengthened in hope. Lament is messy. It is raw and emotional. These may not be the kinds of words you would normally use in your prayers or to describe your life. But if we are to be changed in our waiting, we must choose to be fully present, even when life is messy. When we have the courage to enter these deep waters, we find we are in very good company.
All throughout Scripture, we find that lament is the language of those who wait in hope. Psalms, Lamentations, and the Prophets are full of honest, gut-wrenching prayers like this: “My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears” (Psalm 6:3, 6).
This may not sound hopeful, exactly. But if hope is to endure through disappointment, grief, and suffering, it must be given space to be honest.
With the voices of Scripture as our witness, hope is not diminished by the voicing of lament—it is actually strengthened. There is a paradox here that is difficult to explain. We ate invited to explore and experience its truth instead.
During this first week of Advent, we will give ourselves to the practice of lament as we are strengthened in hope. Lament is messy. It is raw and emotional. These may not be the kinds of words you would normally use in your prayers or to describe your life. But if we are to be changed in our waiting, we must choose to be fully present, even when life is messy. When we have the courage to enter these deep waters, we find we are in very good company.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION, DISCUSSION, AND PRAYER
How do you define hope for yourself?
When have you witnessed someone else’s lament, and what has been your response to it?
How comfortable are you with voicing your own pain and disappointment?
How do you define hope for yourself?
When have you witnessed someone else’s lament, and what has been your response to it?
How comfortable are you with voicing your own pain and disappointment?