Thursday, Dec 3: Prayer for the Restoration of God's Favor

Psalm 85:1-2; 8-13

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; 
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you pardoned all their sin.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people,
    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
    that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
    and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 The Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him,
    and will make a path for his steps.

Sometimes the same candles would be used the next year… just depending on how many times we got around to lighting them the previous year.  One Advent our great niece, Emma, was at our house as we unveiled the Advent wreath for the year.  We had four brand new, tall candles standing at attention on our wreath.  We read the reading about hope and let young Emma light the Hope candle.  Her eyes twinkled as she looked into the flame. Then her lower lip drooped as she said “You have lots of hope. The Hope candle at my house is just a nub…. Hope is almost gone.”

It is a fragile world we live in.  We live in a world where there is injustice, cruelty, hunger, poverty, disease, and abuse.  Sometimes it seems as if hope is almost gone.  Because the world is so fragile, the candle of hope is even more important to us.  Psalm 85 is such a candle of hope.  We hear God the Lord speaking peace.  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet.  Righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up and righteousness makes a path for us. 

This Advent season, whether our candles are new or just a nub, may the light of God’s word continue to shine hope into our world.