Hope College Devotions

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26–38

---

Well, that’s one way to find out you’re pregnant. Nowadays most women eagerly wait alone in a bathroom for the all-knowing pink strips to appear, or not appear, on a plastic stick they just peed on. However a woman finds out she is pregnant, though, it is always a heavy moment weighted with emotion. The thought that your body will be responsible for bringing an entirely brand new soul into the world is nothing short of incredible. As someone who has experienced this twice now, once when we were eagerly wanting a child, and once unexpectedly, I can say that both times the same sinking feeling swept over me, “A new person is about to depend on me for their existence. I’m not sure that I can do it.” It is, in fact, a weight that no woman is meant to carry alone, but with the help of the Father.

As I am writing this I am 35 weeks pregnant with our second baby boy. Right now he is flipping and kicking inside of me, proving his life and vigor even before his arrival. In just a few short weeks, likely around Christmas time, he will be in our arms turning our lives upside down yet again. Pregnancy is an incredible honor and an experience truly like no other, but more than anything, it is a sacrifice. Your body is quite literally not your own for 10 months (yes, 40 weeks is 10 months, not 9) and for years after birth. Then the pregnancy ends with a crescendo of physical sacrifice that is exhaustingly invigorating, bloodily beautiful, and traumatically miraculous. And if you ask any mother at the end of it all if it was worth it, they would say, “Yes. For the love of this baby, yes.”

We don’t know what Mary’s predisposition was before Jesus’ birth annunciation. Maybe she was eagerly wanting a child, or maybe she really wasn’t. She was very young and had no idea what experiences awaited her. Undoubtedly, she knew that she would be outcast for being pregnant and not yet married. Yet, her response to the angel is a humble one: “Let it be to me according to your word.” It is interesting to think that before the savior of the world could sacrifice his life for all humankind, he had to first entrust that this young girl would be willing to sacrifice herself in order to do so.

Motherhood is just another way that we die to ourselves for the sake of someone else. Mary’s sacrifice is compounded by the fact that the child she bears, the savior of the world, the long awaited one, decided to make his grand entrance in the form of a helpless fetus. There is no being quite so vulnerable as a baby. Yet, the one who needs nothing, the creator of all that has ever been, decided to come into the world completely helpless and dependent. The omnipresent came as finite matter in finite time. The omniscient came as a child knowing nothing. The omnipotent came as a powerless, vulnerable, naked infant. God so wanted to empathize with us that he turned his being inside out that he would be Emmanuel, God truly with us.  

The example displayed for us by both Jesus and Mary in this annunciation passage is that love gets low. Love does not seek to rise above or ascend, it bends deep. Love calls us to die to ourselves that we might truly live. Jesus made this concept emphatically clear through his life and ministry, and at one point even says, “… whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25). 

As we enter this Christmas season, may we follow their example. In what ways do you need to sacrifice your will, what you think might be best, for the love of God and others?

Emily Mayo is adjunct faculty for the Department of Art and Art History at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:2–7

---

As we journey through Advent, the words of Isaiah 9:2 illuminate the path before us: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.”

These words resonate with a timeless hope that transcends the boundaries of ancient prophecy: they reach across the expanse of human experience.  Perhaps you are in need of this light in your own life: a diagnosis uncertain, a relationship severed, a loss you never imagined. In the midst of such darkness, Isaiah’s vision invites us to pause and reflect on the profound truth that even in our darkest moments, a light pierces through to guide us with the promise of renewal and grace. This meets us in a variety of ways: through the smiles of strangers, the long-held prayer is answered, the promise of warm coffee in the morning, reconciliation after years of pain, or perhaps in the simple sunlight through an afternoon window.

In the quiet anticipation of Advent, we find solace in the recognition that this light — this arrival of a newborn King — is not distant. Rather, it’s a personal and intimate light that dispels the shadows of doubt, fear, and despair, revealing a way towards healing and transformation. As we await the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us open our hearts to the illumination of this divine light, allowing it to warmly permeate the cold realities this world might bring.  

Erin Drews is resident director of Gilmore Hall and Hope Forward program coordinator at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1:1–8

---

I’m a checklist person. I love a good list I can mark complete to feel prepared and accomplished for a given task. Each year, as the weather turns colder, I revive my handy “winterization” checklist for my tasks around the house. This includes the standard household chores of putting away the outdoor furniture, tending to the landscape, prepping the snowblower, and hanging Christmas lights outside the house. 

As we navigate the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we quickly find ourselves overwhelmed by the demands of work, family, social obligations, and endless lists.

This Advent season, we reflect on the words of Mark 1:1–8, which proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ. In these verses, we find John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah, calling them to repentance and baptism. John appeared in the wilderness, saying, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” This is not just a call to be ready but also an alignment of our hearts. Advent allows us to examine and clear the clutter of our busy lives.

Perhaps we should consider an alternate checklist this year. A spiritual checklist where we take intentional steps to prepare our hearts by setting aside quiet time for prayer and self-reflection, acknowledging areas where we have allowed stress to overshadow the joy of the season.  John’s baptism signifies a turning away from the old and a willingness for the new. What areas of our lives might need forgiveness, humility or renewal? What distracts us from our relationship with the Savior?

Let us prepare the way for Jesus, not just in the festive decorations but by approaching each day with joyful anticipation, humble gratitude, and encouraging others to experience God’s love. Together, we can celebrate the birth of Christ to receive the greatest gift ever given.

Jason Cash is director of Public Affairs & Marketing at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.
2 Peter 3:8–15a

---

Our human perception of time is peculiar. In a busy season, time flies and suddenly months have passed without our knowing. Yet in a season of waiting — for the job, for the diagnosis, for the relationship — each day seems longer than the last.

So when we read in today’s scripture passage that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” perhaps we can relate to a shifting perspective on time.

Our Heavenly Father, however, has the ultimate perspective. He is not bound by time. He not only knows our comings and our goings today and tomorrow, but he also has the full picture — not just of our lives, but of all humankind throughout time.

And even with that great perspective, He chooses to be patient with us. To wait for us. He’s patient when we stray from his way, he’s patient when we are slow to heed the Spirit’s prompting, and he’s patient even when we stubbornly resist his offer of grace. Because of His patience, we have the sweet promise of salvation that we celebrate this Adventide.

Upon reflecting on God’s immense patience with me, I recognize my impatience with Him to move on my time, as well as my impatience when dealing with my brothers and sisters. That friend who let me down again? That coworker who seems to always mess up their part? That family member who won’t admit they’re wrong? Oh, Lord, grant me an ounce of the patience you offer me.

While our God waits patiently for us, he tells us something about how we should wait for him: diligently. Each day this Advent season, may we be at peace as we turn to Him in thanks for his slow gift of salvation.

Allison Keep is a visiting assistant professor of music at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.
Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13

---

I do not keep my promises. My faults are many, but perhaps the most frustrating of them all is this — that, even when I try, my word is inconstant. I’ve broken promises to so many different people: to my students, to return their exams by Friday; to my husband, to pick up a tomato from the grocery store for the chili; to myself, to be the wife, daughter, professor, person I want to be. With each broken promise comes renewed resolve to keep the next one, and the sneaking, correct suspicion that I will always, at some point in the future, return to my inconstant ways. I am human, and humans break their promises.

How fortunate we are, then, that God does not. Psalm 85:10 tells us that his love for us is married to a permanent faithfulness to his promises. His love is not our love, which even in its most constant human forms forgets to be faithful to its word (ask Jake about the chili). His promises are not the stuff of exams and tomatoes; they are promises of peace, protection and, ultimately, salvation. “We are assured” is a term oft used in Christian services and circles, and it is easy to forget that when we say these things, we speak with authority on God’s plan for his creation. Friends, consider this: God, in this moment, on this day, holds tight to the promises he has made to his people. He has not forgotten; he will not forget. The end is known, and it is this: “Yes, the LORD will give what is good.”

Dr. Kirstin Birkhaug is an assistant professor of political science at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.

A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the LORD blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 40:1–11

---

The students of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program at Muskegon Correctional Facility file into the classroom. The walk across The Yard is an exercise in self-control as they absorb the barbs of others, their backpacks and textbooks targets of derision. 

“Who do they think they are?”

Their state-issued clothing is worn and patched and hangs loosely on their bodies. Their environment is a crooked place.

A desert

A shadow-filled valley

A place of uneven ground

The world offers them no comfort. 

And yet, smiles and rumors of smiles fill the classroom. Their professors break open

Their shackled imaginations

Their trauma-twisted lives

Their imprisoned hearts

And some, perhaps many, begin to see themselves as God’s. As made in God’s image, and by God’s love. And in God they are

Gathered

Shepherded

Changed

Forever. Living witnesses to Advent. And the glory of the Lord is revealed anew.

Dr. Richard Ray is co-director of The Hope-Western Prison Education Program.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Mark 13:24–37

---

Watch!

In our daily lives, what are we watching for most? Often, it seems that we are watching for… ourselves.

And why not? In the public square of a highly connected world, the affirmation and adulation that comes with being an “influencer” is intoxicating. Never has it felt more important to be seen, to be liked, to be what the world pays attention to. We are watching not for God, but for the opportunities to increase our follower counts and our sense of self-satisfaction.

With that in mind, I feel a tug of despair when I read Mark’s exhortation, as if we already are immersed in the dark skies that he writes about. When despair creeps in, I remind myself to calm my spirit, shift my gaze and “watch for the whale.”

In 2017, my colleague, Tim, invited me to travel with a class of Hope students to Alaska for a May Term off-campus study program. Every morning, a group of us rose early and walked together, in search of a place to begin the day with prayer. In Seward, we found a favorite spot on the rocky shoreline of Resurrection Bay. One dawn, we sat there, eyes fixed on the still water in the early morning light, lamenting the absence of whales in the bay that day. As we finished our prayer, Colton, one of the trip leaders, jokingly added, “Jesus, if you’re listening, please let us see a whale.” We hardly had a moment to chuckle when a humpback whale suddenly broke the water’s surface with a dramatic full breach. We screamed and cheered with delight.

I still feel incredulous at the perfection of that moment. In the beauty of Alaska, we were carefully watching for God’s presence — in ways that are hard to replicate today, in the daily grind of ordinary life. But to this day, when I find myself becoming too distracted or discouraged to recognize God’s presence, I tell myself, “Watch for the whale.”

God shows up in ways big and small. This Advent, remember to watch!

Jennifer Fellinger is vice president of strategic initiatives at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge — even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you — so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:3–9

Today’s passage describes how God had greatly blessed the church in Corinth with an abundance of spiritual gifts to help them wait for the day of the Lord. The Corinthians had a variety of spiritual gifts: the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the working of miracles, the gift of prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, the gift of speaking in tongues, and the gift of interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4–11). Everything in today’s passage only highlights the beautiful things God had given them and was about to do for them. The Corinthians were not lacking in any gifts.

However, today’s passage is also a foreword to the many problems Paul needed to address in the Corinthian church. God’s gifts were meant to sustain the saints to “the end” so that they may be guiltless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet despite the many spiritual gifts within the church, the Corinthians were nevertheless problematic in multiple ways. They struggled to maintain unity (1 Corinthians 1–4), they failed to uphold sexual purity (1 Corinthians 5–7), they argued over food laws (1 Corinthians 8–10), they misused their spiritual gifts in ways that distracted people from true worship (1 Corinthians 11–14), and some even embraced heretical teachings that denied the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15).

As we count the many blessings God has showered upon Hope College, upon Holland, upon the country we live in, let us reflect on the purposes of His abundant gifts upon us. His gifts are to help us wait for the Lord’s return as we flourish and bear His image wherever He sends us. Let us uphold unity and purity and use our God-given blessings to build faith, hope, and love as we learn to worship our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mr. Samuel Pang is an assistant professor of music instruction and director of orchestras at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!

Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O LORD God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19

I recently learned about the concept of “Yes, and” from my Hope College students who’ve been part of Vanderprov, Hope’s improv comedy troupe.

In improv comedy, one of the rules is to take a given idea, context, or scenario and expand on it instead of shutting it down. For example, if one improviser on stage says, “I have so much grading to do before the Christmas holidays,” the second improviser could say, “Yes, and don’t forget about working on your syllabus for next semester.” Through collaboration and creativity, this “Yes, and” rule acknowledges the present reality, and adds to it, moving the scene forward.

When I think about Advent and today’s passage, this “Yes, and” concept comes to mind.

Psalm 80 is a psalm of lament and speaks to the longing of God’s people for restoration and redemption.

The psalmist begins with a cry for God to “give ear” and save His people. In what follows, the psalmist questions God, and even expresses anger towards God. God seems to be silent, hiding in the darkess, unaware of what is happening to His people.

Advent is a time of “Yes” to this earnest longing for God to save His people and to these honest cries for restoration and redemption. In our own difficult life situations and unanswered prayers, we connect with the psalmist’s words. We also lament the darkness around us and have times when we doubt God and question His work in our lives.

But Advent is also a time for the “And.”

The psalmist expresses doubt and anger within a context of trust and hope.

Psalm 80 does not end with lament and agony. Rather, the psalmist calls on God to “let your face shine, that we may be saved!” In this, lament and agony are placed within a larger context of trust and hope. The doubt and anger toward God isn’t resolved or explained away but it is expressed to a loving God who hears us, walks alongside side of us in the darkness, and who is able to provide restoration and redemption.

Yes, and.

In Christ we find our hope and salvation. Whatever longing, disappointment, confusion, or worry we are experiencing, may Advent remind us of what we know and believe to be true. In Christ we find our hope and salvation.

In Advent, we can be honest with God about whatever longing, disappointments, confusion or worries we have. And, we can also celebrate what we believe to be true — that in Christ we will find our hope and salvation. The light is coming.

Dr. Deborah Van Duinen is the Arnold and Esther Sonneveldt Professor of Education at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

But now, O LORD, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Be not so terribly angry, O LORD,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
Isaiah 64:1–9

In the vexed election cycle of 2016 there was a Twitter handle that began touting itself, satirically, as a candidate for the 2016 election. It still exists, and it’s called @votegiantmeteor. The original idea was that the two dominant parties and their candidates left something to be desired. Indeed, a giant meteor squashing the earth was thought to be preferable to the then-current state of political discourse.

One of the memorable posts from this handle reads as follows: “My opponents want to keep taxes complicated. I think it’s time for a flat tax. It’s time to flatten everything.” The somewhat morbid impulse to chuckle at this post also makes me resonate with the first verse of the reading selected for today (Isaiah 64:1). Out of confidence in the Lord’s promise to return and dissatisfaction with the current state of our world, my wife and I sometimes look at each other out of frustration and sigh “Come, Lord Jesus!” “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, / that the mountains might quake at your presence,” I can say with Isaiah here.

Come he will, and we should not expect his second coming to be like his first. Yet, Isaiah here also implicitly acknowledges his coming among us every day. For he is the potter and we are the clay. God in Christ is working within us and before us and all around us. Without him we can do nothing. In the famous words of St. Patrick, “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left.” I do long for the Kingdom, but that should not prevent me from being aware of (and cultivating) the Kingdom within and among us.

Dr. Jack Mulder is a professor of philosophy at Hope College.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to daily Advent emails