Day Three: Advent asks us to hear how God's Hope is established in us (Jeremiah 33:14)

(a righteous Branch)

Day Three: Advent asks us to hear how God's Hope is established in us

Jeremiah 33:14 "The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

In the time of Jeremiah Israel existed in exile. This exile resulted from choices which willfully pushed God aside in favor of defiant-self-righteous human ways. Self righteousness led to sin as Israel sought its prosperity away from God. Like Israel we exist in exile: we should know the eternal prosperity of a nearness to Christ walking in His ways, yet our defiant human reason, our corrupted inclinations and the wayward desires of our heart convince us to prefer a mortal prosperity apart from God - there truly is nothing new under the sun.

In this season of Advent can we hear the voice of the prophet Jeremiah calling each of us to live worshipping God in every aspect of our lives regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in? Can our worship rise even from this exile where so many live in fear, pain, illness, need and despair? Our prosperity is found only in God but He will not impose Himself on us - He waits for our freely given "yes" to Him.

When we can finally truly pray Christ's prayer "your will, not my will be done" God's hope is established in us. In that moment God's righteous Branch takes root; in that moment we begin to walk the narrow Way that leads us out of exile and into the embrace of the Christ of Christmas.

1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."