Hope

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the Advent Season.  As the Advent Wreath candle was set alight our focus was on hope.

People hope for many different outcomes.  The citizens of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus were hoping for independence from Roman rule. Some people, like Anna and Simeon, were almost living at the Temple and daily prayed for the Messiah to come.  It seemed as if God had been silent for about 400 years.  Yet there were people who continued to have hope that they would see the fulfillment of God’s promises, words God had spoken many hundreds of years before.

Today we hope for freedom of religious expression.  We hope for the rain and flooding to stop.  We hope for recovery for the loved one who is suffering from illness. We hope to celebrate an occasion with family and friends.  We hope. We hope.  We hope.

Hope is unusual in that it has a connection to the past, is felt in the present, and usually refers to a happening in the future.  For those of us who believe the God of the Bible, the ultimate hope is in the Second Advent.  At that time, Jesus Christ will return in glory and power.  He will vanquish sin, darkness, and death allowing those who believe in Him to experience life as it was originally created to be.

But there is one more hope that is close to our hearts.  It is the hope that, before the Second Advent, people living in Taiwan and other distant places will hear about the First Advent.  They need to be told that Jesus came from heaven to save people from their sins.  They need to be told that it is possible to live life in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  They need to have access to this good news.

Thank-you for praying.
Thank-you for giving.
Thank-you for being personally involved.
Your investment is helping many more people to obtain hope.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that the river dikes in Abbotsford have been fortified.  We are praying that the repairs will hold as an abundance of rain continues to fall.  Pray for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers assisting in the clean-up and rebuilding process.
• The Baozhong Alliance Church is hoping for 4-6 families to register to participate in the Christmas events.  So far, one family has indicated they want to attend,  Please pray that others will desire to be a part of the event.