A Scarlet Hope

Growing up in my Baptist Church, Advent wasn’t a part of our tradition, at least in my church or my home. It always seemed to be for “other denominations,” not mine. 

Well, a few weeks ago, I decided that I’d like to live in the Advent of Christmas. So I went online to see what I could find. I wasn’t drawn to the circle of white and purple candles so I kept looking. And then I found this one. 

Handmade in Germany. I loved it the moment I saw it and was willing to pay the shipping fee to get it here. And it’s more beautiful than the picture. And so last Sunday I "lit" my first candle - the candle of hope. And I immediately thought how God had put it on my heart for “such a time as this” because I have dear friends who are in need of hope. And, well, me, too. So each day, as I lit the candle, I focused on a new verse about hope.

Many years back I gave a teaching on Rahab. And while I was researching about her and her encounter with the Israelites, I discovered that the scarlet rope that she placed outside her window was, in fact, a scarlet hope. Rope and hope are the same word in Hebrew. Talk about a symbolic act. Rahab, facing the inevitable annihilation of her and her family, threw out her hope and then waited for the God of the Israelites to be faithful and to fulfill his promise. And that's exactly what he did.

Which brings me to what’s been made clear to me throughout this week. I have spent a lifetime of using hope as a hand wringing device instead of a lifeline. Good heavens, how many times have I lost sleep, bit my nails, overeaten all because I'm wrestling with hope. About a person, a circumstance, a decision? Countless times!

Which, now that I have been made aware of all this, behooves me to make a long awaited change. To live and speak the word hope as it was meant to be. A hope that is in God alone. A hope that keeps me focused on him. So that when I am facing guaranteed new fears, new uncertainty, and worn shoes of worry, I will, at last, set them on the window sill of my life, putting my scarlet hope where it truly belongs. In God. My God of hope.

It’s going to take some time, but I’m so grateful that God hasn’t nor does he give up on me. He waits for these moments, taking the opportunity to nudge me towards him and patiently waiting for me to see him in all his glory. This week the glory of hope. 

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And as that verse references, the next candle is peace. And I can’t help but wonder what God has up his sleeve for me this week. Yikes!