“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore God will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for the Lord.” Isaiah 30:18

Advent comes with its promise and hope. This advent we’re acutely conscious the whole world is waiting . . . waiting for hope . . . waiting for a vaccine . . . waiting for cures . . . waiting for an end to the pandemic. Waiting for barriers to fall. Waiting to be together again as families. Waiting to gather in community.

Long months of waiting have taken a toll on us. We are weary in our waiting. We ache for people dear to us, suffering the consequences and complications of Covid. We grieve loss after loss, heartache after heartache.

In my discouraging moments, these words from H. Ernest Nichol’s hymn, have echoed in my mind.

“For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.” *

I think of how the years before Christ’s birth were also a time of waiting. Living under Roman rule in an occupied land, people waited to hear good news. They waited for a sign of promise, a sliver of hope, a flicker of light.

The story of Christ’s coming is one of light, hope and love. The darkness of today will one day end. We see hope and promise on the horizon. May this Advent time, be one where we wait in hope. Knowing that God is at work in our world, and the darkness will indeed, turn to dawning.


Daily Devotions and other Christmas resources can be found at this Link – Devotions for Advent to Epiphany


*“We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations” Lyrics
We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.

Refrain:
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil,
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword. [Refrain]

We’ve a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
has sent us His Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love. [Refrain]

We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow has trod,
that all of the world’s great peoples
may come to the truth of God,
may come to the truth of God! [Refrain]”
H. Ernest Nichol