The Great Hope of Advent

We have entered into Advent. It is a time of longing. This season brings a renewed sense of longing for the second coming of our Lord. Each year brings a new perspective to me. Sometimes it is remembering his first coming and the longing of Israel. This time it is a longing to see the Lord truly come in justice.

Isaiah 42:1-4
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

Our fractured, violent world is in need of healing. Our stubborn western white culturalized Christianity is in need of judgment. We are in a time when we exalt power and run right over the poor and marginalized. We need Messiah.

Surely, he will bring justice.

We need the proclamation of the Kingdom. We need the freedom of the Spirit to set the captive free.

In this season, the longing I have is not to remember his first coming as much as it is to cry out afresh, “Come, Lord Jesus!”