For December 1st:

HOPE:

Read Luke 1:11-17 and “…God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.’ ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.’ ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.’” Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Today we will start celebrating our anticipation of the coming of our Savior, Jesus, by lighting the first candle in our Advent wreath from the project described on November 29^th of this issue.

Light one of the purple candles in your wreath. This is the candle of HOPE.

Read the scripture verses above. Reflect on the HOPE that must have filled Zechariah to learn that not only would he finally have a child, but that his child would be the prophet to prepare the people for the coming of the promised Messiah.

Reflect on the HOPE that must have filled Mary to know that through her obedience would come the Son of the Most High. Her son Jesus would reign over the house of Jacob forever and His kingdom would have no end. Her people’s HOPE in the prophecies of a Triumphant King would be fulfilled through the birth of her child. God’s promises were being fulfilled.

For us, we too have HOPE as we light this candle. Knowing that our God is faithful to continue fulfilling His promises. We are filled with new anticipation of Christ’s second Advent and HOPE in knowing that He will take His people home.

Prayer: Thank you God for the hope that your Son’s Advents brings to us. Thank you for the gift of your promises. Amen.

CUMC Women’s Ministry