As we begin advent, many of us will be familiar with the four themes we encounter at this time of year; hope, peace, joy and love. But what if you're entering this Christmas season with little or no hope? Maybe you haven't felt a strong sense of peace in your life recently, or you're finding genuine Christ-like joy hard to come by in your routine at the moment. There will even be some among us who are feeling isolated and maybe, without love. How do we approach this time of advent if we're feeling weary in some way, shape or form?
Kay alluded to this as we began our new series, 'How does a weary world rejoice?', on Sunday morning. The first step is to acknowledge that we are weary. And in doing this, we haven't admitted defeat, or concluded that we have failed. But we have named the situation that we may be facing - a situation that God himself is present in, by the Holy Spirit. He desires to make himself known to us in that situation; not if or when things get better, but in that present moment, alongside and through the weariness that you may be feeling.
May you take heart and be encouraged as we approach Christmas this year. We have a God who desires to reveal himself through our weariness, and despite our weariness. To him be the glory, now and forever.
'Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.'
- Isaiah 40:28-31
Kia tau te rangimārie,
Dan
144 Sawyers Arms Road
Christchurch, New Zealand
+64 3 352 4227