“Many of us come into the kingdom with heavy baggage. In places of brokenness, there are often dark shadows of shame and regret. This was my story. The guilt from my past held me hostage.” (Ultimate Pursuit-Chapter 16)
The Advent season calls us to pause and prepare our hearts for Christ’s arrival. It’s a time to reflect with gratitude on His first coming and to look ahead with hope for His return. The first candle on the Advent wreath stands for hope—a hope rooted not in circumstances, but in God’s unwavering promises.
Through the prophet Malachi, God promised His people that a messenger would come to prepare the way for the Lord. Then, for four hundred years, heaven seemed silent—no new words from God, no fresh revelation. Yet, the silence did not mean God had forgotten. In the quiet, He was still moving and shaping the story of redemption that would unfold in Bethlehem.
When John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, calling people to prepare the way for the Lord, Malachi’s words were fulfilled. God’s promise was fulfilled. The long-awaited Messiah had arrived.
That same hope speaks to us today. We, too, live between promises fulfilled and promises still to come. When God seems silent in our lives, we can trust that He is still working behind the scenes, shaping the path ahead.
The beauty of Advent is that it reminds us—no matter how deep our brokenness or how heavy our past—Christ came to bring light, healing, and hope. His coming symbolizes freedom for those who feel trapped and new beginnings for those who believed their story was over.
Reflection:
Is there an area of your life where God appears silent? How might He be quietly working behind the scenes to fulfill His promise—just as He did before Christ’s coming?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the hope we find in Your promises. When waiting feels long or silence fills the air, remind us that You are faithful and always at work. Help us rest in the confident hope that You will fulfill every word You have spoken. Amen.
As we begin this Advent season, may the hope of Christ fill your heart with renewed faith and perseverance.
