When Hopes and Fears are Met
During this first week of Advent, which focuses on HOPE, I ponder the words of a beloved Christmas carol. Read more …
This morning, I decorated the Christmas tree, thought about writing Advent blog posts, and all the while listened to Christmas music. Despite multitasking, I paused for a few minutes to consider the familiar lines from the beloved Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem,
“The HOPES and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.”
According to the Positive Psychology Network, HOPE and fear are two primal emotions that may be fundamentally linked. An article read, “When considering the concept of hoping that something ‘will’ happen, there is an inference that it goes hand in hand with fearing that it won’t. Similarly, when we fear that something ‘will’ happen, we … tend to hope that it won’t.” [i]
I was reminded of several people I have prayed for this year—good people who know what it’s like when HOPE and fear co-exist—sometimes year upon year.
I also thought about HOPES and fears, which collided for many during the recent heated political season.
I pondered personal pain that has companioned me for several months. During this time, frequent fearful thoughts invaded my mind. A diagnosis this past month provides a glimmer of HOPE.
The story of Advent is one of HOPE written upon a dark backdrop of fear. (If you have time and feel led to do so, I’d encourage you to read Luke 1:1-2:40 and Matthew 1:18-2:40 during this first week of Advent. If you don’t have a Bible, the free app biblegateway.com is a great resource.)
Some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming Messiah. You’ll probably agree that’s a very long time to wait! I imagine the light of HOPE for many had dimmed.
In recalling the Christmas story, however, we see HOPE did show up! HOPE showed up for:
Elizabeth and Zechariah,
a young virgin girl named Mary,
her bewildered fiancé Joseph,
a band of curious shepherds,
Simeon, a “just and devout” elderly man,
Anna, an 84-year-old widow and prophet,
a cadre of wealthy, distinguished Magi who travelled from a far-off country.
The HOPES and fears of many were met in the humble birth of a tiny baby named Jesus.
A bit of research showed me the Greek word for HOPE in the Bible is elpis (ἐλπίς). It is a noun that conveys confidence and expectant HOPE, not a nebulous hoping, such as “I sure hope these are the winning numbers!”
My prayer for each of us this Advent season is that no matter what circumstances we may be experiencing, we would cling with confidence to that expectant HOPE which came to earth over two-thousand years ago and who still brings HOPE that distills our fears.
Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, that the hopes and fears of all the years
Are still met in thee today, tonight, and for always!
Amen
Advent-and beyond-blessings!
[i] https://ppnetwork.org/hope-fear-maybe-two-faces-primal-emotion/