In Touch With The Words Of The Season
By Betty Miller Buttram
FWIS Contributing Writer
1 Corinthians 13:13 There are three things that remain—faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.
The carols are being sung, the decorations are being hung, commercialism is ongoing, anthe burden of feeling adrift is upon us, and we are searching for an anchor to steady our direction. Our peace has been disrupted. Our hope has been reduced to nothingness. Our joy has turned to sadness, and love has turned to hate. This might be true for some of us; but there are those of us who have a deep faith which enables us to trust and believe in God, even when His presence cannot be physically seen.
Advent, in the Bible and Christian tradition, is a season of preparation and expectation that looks toward the coming of Jesus Christ. It celebrates his first coming and the anticipation of his second coming. The season involves prayer, reflection, and a focus on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Here are the biblical meanings of these words.
Peace is a deep feeling of well-being in a relationship with God. We have inner peace and the ability to work on restoring broken situations. Peace is completeness, being mindfully sound, and fully embodied in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Joy is a deep, inner contentment and satisfaction that comes from one’s relationship with God, and it is considered a gift from the Holy Spirit, not dependent on circumstances. It is a deliberate choice to trust in God’s love and promises, even in difficult times, and it can coexist with sorrow and suffering.
Hope is a confident expectation and certainty of future goodness based on God’s promises and faithfulness. It is an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure” providing a sure foundation for life, especially in the face of hardship.
Love is selfless, sacrificial, and committed to the well-being of others. It is a loving action of choices and reflects the nature of God.
Today, this Nation is in a mess and that depends on who is doing the talking. Our peace, joy, hope, and love are being trampled upon each day. It is sad and difficult to see that some eyes and ears are closed to this kind of destruction to the people and only open to the evil that has come upon the people.
There is joy in our faith and hope is the anchor. While we are about doing the things we do during this season, take care of those who need clothing, food, and shelter. But that is something that most of you do anyway.
Best of hope, joy, peace, and love to all of you.