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As we enter Advent, we step into a season of anticipation that enjoins past, present, and future. These sacred days echo Israel’s ancient cry for redemption while drawing us into the story of Christ’s first coming and His future return. Advent invites us to live in the tension of the “now” and “not yet,” as reflected in passages like Mark 13 and Isaiah 64. As we listen to the truths of these passages, we hear the call to ground our faith in God’s unbreakable promises and wait expectantly for the fulfillment of His redemptive plan.
Longing for God’s Intervention — Isaiah 64
In Isaiah 64, the prophet’s cry for God to “rend the heavens and come down” emerges from the depths of Israel’s despair, likely following the devastation of the Babylonian exile. This prayer for divine intervention reflects a relief from suffering and a longing to restore God’s presence among His people. The prophet does not excuse Israel’s sin. Instead, Isaiah offers a full and bold confession, “We all have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (v. 6). Yet, even in their unworthiness, they cry out for mercy, pleading, “Consider us, O Lord; we are Your people” (v. 9).
Isaiah’s ancient prayer echoes within us today. We know the ache of waiting for God to redeem the broken places in our world and in our lives. The plea before the LORD continues, “Stir up Your might” and come to save, just as You did when Christ first entered our world. We cling to the hope that is in Jesus Christ alone. We believe God has heard our cries and done what no eye had seen, what no mind had conceived (v. 4). So, our hearts continue the persistent prayer for His face to shine upon us and for His redemptive work to come to full completion.
Light in the Darkness — Mark 13
In the Gospels, Mark 13 shows Jesus preparing His disciples for challenging times ahead. The chapter opens with the disciples marveling at the grandeur of Herod’s Temple—an impressive construction by any standard. But Jesus quickly redirects their focus, pointing to a sobering reality: “Not one stone will be left upon another” (v. 2). His words remind us that no human achievement, however grand, can endure forever or stand against God’s judgment.
What follows is a message combining both warnings and promises. Jesus speaks of wars, earthquakes, and false prophets—trials that will shake the world and test the faith of many, including our own (vv. 5–13). For the disciples and for us, these warnings remind us that this world, as it stands, is not our true home. Like Israel in exile, we are strangers, journeying through a land that is not our own. We await in hope for the day when all will be set right.
While we wait for the fullness of God’s Kingdom, we also celebrate the joy of Christ’s first advent, when God broke into history to bring light into the darkness. The incarnation marked the beginning of the restoration of all things—a foretaste of the peace and joy that will one day be complete. The Light of the world has come, and even as we face the shadows, we hold an unshakeable hope that Christ’s first coming has already secured our redemption.
Faithful in the “Not Yet” — Mark 13
As people of Advent, we live within the tension of longing and hope, breathing inside the realities of God’s “already” and “not yet” redemptive plan. In Mark 13, Jesus urges us to stay vigilant—not to speculate about the timing of His return, but to remain faithful each day. He says, “Be on guard; keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come” (v. 33). To “keep awake” is not just a passive waiting; it is an active readiness. With eyes wide open we align our lives with God’s Kingdom purposes. As we await Christ’s return, we are called to be instruments of His peace, embody His love, and participate in His acts of justice and mercy. In this way, our firm footing becomes a testimony to the world of the hope we have in Christ.
Jesus’ words to His disciples—to “be on guard” and “not be led astray” (vv. 5-9)—echo across two millennia, speaking into our days of opposition. He warns that many will come in His name, leading others into confusion and that wars and disasters will stir up fear. Yet He reassures us that these troubling events are only “the beginning of birth pangs” (v. 8), not the end. Our calling is not to dwell in fear or be swayed by deception but to stand firm in faith. We are called to persevere through trials, holding onto hope, and trusting that His return is certain. Jesus invites us to endure to the end, knowing that in this endurance, we encounter the fullness of His salvation” (v. 13).
Shaped by God’s Promises — Isaiah 64
In the closing verses of Isaiah 64, we encounter a vivid metaphor that captures our Advent posture: “We are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand” (v. 8). This image invites us to surrender ourselves to God’s shaping hand, trusting His wisdom and timing for our ultimate good. As we wait for Christ’s return, our yielding is not to grasp for control or predict the future but to let God form us into vessels that can carry His light. Like clay in the Potter’s hands, we place our lives in His care, waiting with hearts anchored in trust and hope.
Advent is a time to renew this surrender, to confess our need for God, and to lean into the certainty of His promises. It’s a season to join Isaiah’s prayer: “Restore us, O Lord, and let Your face shine, that we may be saved” (v. 9).
Living in Christ’s Hope
In this sacred season of Advent, we embrace the dual themes of joy and hope—celebrating the fulfilled promise of Christ’s first coming while awaiting the full consummation of His Kingdom. Like the prophet Isaiah, we long for God’s ultimate intervention, even as we rejoice in the Light that has already come. As we live between the “now” and “not yet,” may our hearts be anchored in God’s promises. Let us live faithfully—yielded to the Potter’s hand, joyful, hopeful, and unwavering.
