“The days are coming…”
Hope is a common theme for the first week of Advent. The purple candle often used in church services represents the hope of the coming Messiah, the “righteous branch” that will sprout from the line of David.
In Jeremiah 33:14-16 we read:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
(English Standard Version)
Hope for the coming Messiah was intended to turn the hearts of God’s people toward Him and His promises, provision, and faithfulness. But it was so common and still is, for God’s people to forget His promises. Instead, we build lives on earth that are safe and dependant on our own strength.
The prophecy in Jeremiah says that the LORD is our righteousness. Any hope we can possibly have is found in our identity given to us by God.
At the beginning of this Advent season, take a moment to reflect on where you have placed your hope. Repent from trusting in yourself, and turn toward trusting in the Messiah, who came to free the world from slavery to self, and will return to bring His people home.
William Knelsen 
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