It is hard to live beyond today, that is, until tomorrow comes. Then tomorrow becomes our present day and whatever we have done, thought, or believed, now defines our reality. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.” What we do today affects our tomorrow and continues until we all finally face our “forever life.”
While this is a frightening reality for some, for us this is where the Advent Hope becomes our greatest comfort and joy. God came to us so that we can come to him now and forever—today and tomorrow. Advent’s call to watchfulness and staying awake prepares us to receive the One who covers us where we have sinned and missed the mark and who welcomes us into our “forever life” with our Creator. Our prayer “O come, O come Emmanuel” is answered because God indeed did come to us and opened those gates of glory so that we can enter and live with him forever.
We need not fear living today or beyond today into all the tomorrows we may have. As people of hope we live with the pains and struggles of this life, and we live with the One who says of Himself “See I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5. Our relationship with our Advent God give us hope that goes beyond our fears, beyond our sorrows. It brings us to where there is, “no more crying and no more dying” as one of my favorite hymns Soon and Very Soon says.
This confidence about our “forever life” empowers us in our present life. As we have received, so we are able to give. So to those around us living in fear we can give hope, for those in sadness we can bring joy, and for those discomforted we can share comfort.
Hope gives us life and fills us with confidence helping us to swallow our fears of what is to come. We can anticipate with joy our “forever life” with God.
Prayer: O come; O come Emmanuel. Amen
Pastor Jerry
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