By Charissa Ramey
We are in the season Advent. Advent means “coming” and is the four-week time we prepare for Christmas and the birth of a savior.
Many of us light the candles on an Advent wreath that all represent a piece of what Advent means, or what it means to be waiting — waiting for what is coming. The four candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, with a fifth candle in the center that represents Christ.
Hope is often confused with wishful thinking. If we hope something will happen, we have no control over whether or not it will take place. Hope, biblically speaking, is much different. Hope, in the Bible, exists as a secure assurance, a trust placed in a trustworthy God. God has not failed us in the past, and therefore, if he claims he will do something in the future, we can have a hope he will fulfill that claim.
Hope waits and endures. It isn’t flimsy or merely wishful thinking. It can withstand fire, trials and despair.
Peace is one of the strongest themes in the Bible. In fact, the word peace appears somewhere between 200-400 times. In Philippians 4 peace guards our hearts, and in Proverbs 12 it brings us joy. In Psalm 29, peace is a blessing from God, and in Isaiah 54, peace helps us in time of need.
In a scary and violent world, the peace of God grants us a tranquility you cannot find anywhere else and offers a light to others who do not yet know that peace.
Joy goes far beyond momentary happiness, like the happiness a child might experience when he or she unwraps a gift hoped for on Christmas day. Joy is an epic happiness that cannot be shaken by life’s events. This type of joy comes from God alone. Joy is eager about wonderful things to come.
Love plays a vital role in the Christmas story. Because of Joseph’s love for Mary, he didn’t stone her when he found out she was pregnant with what he thought was a child out of wedlock with another man. Jesus focused on preaching love throughout his ministry. Two of his greatest commands involve love: Love God, love your neighbor.
Love is the greatest of all the virtues on the Advent wreath and encompasses Jesus’ entire purpose for being on earth.
The fifth candle represents Christ. Not surprisingly, the Christ candle represents Christ and the role he plays in the Christmas story. Jesus brought light into the world through his arrival on earth as a baby.
I and the members of Nameless Creek Christian Church wish you all the merriest of Christmases amid the troubles a global pandemic has brought among us.
May a stubborn hope, resilient peace, insurmountable joy and steadfast love hold you in the light of Christ this season.
The Rev. Charissa Ramey is pastor of Nameless Creek Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
