Listen and Pray: Hope as Rebellion
Click the button below to listen and pray through this passage. This practice will take about 7 minutes.
Read
Luke 1: 78-79 (NLT)
Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,[i]
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.”
Luke 1: 78-79 (message)
Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
down the path of peace.
Pray
God of tender mercy,
You who rise like the morning sun
and shine upon those who sit in darkness—
we open ourselves to You now.
Teach us to hope with audacity,
to trust that You are at work even when we cannot see,
to believe that resurrection often begins in the night.
As Jonah discovered in the deep,
as Israel discovered in the dark hours of their Exodus,
as the world discovered at the empty tomb—
Your light always moves toward us.
Let the thrill of hope steady our weary hearts.
Guide our feet into the path of peace.
And send us into this day carrying a hope
that refuses despair,
that whispers courage,
that believes a world of grace, goodness, and peace is not only possible—
it is promised.
Amen.
Listen & Reflect
Advent is an invitation. While it comes at arguably the busiest time of the year, it’s an invitation to slow down. To wait. And to be attentive to the coming arrival of our king.
So that is what we are going to do today. We are going to intentionally slow down, breathe deeply and enter the quiet place where God speaks.
Today we rest in the promise of God’s hope. Not wishful thinking, but in hope as an audacious act of rebellion in a world marked by shadows.
As we begin, settle your body and slow your breathing. Release any distractions or shadows vying for your attention and focus your attention and affection on the One who is light. The One who sees you and loves you. As you breathe deeply repeat this prayer in your heart:
“Jesus, open my heart to see You clearly. Let Your Word shape my thoughts and draw me closer to You.”
Today’s passage is from Luke 1: 78-79. Let’s read it slowly and with intention, allowing it’s truth to fill you with hope and light.
This passage is from the prophecy of Zechariah as a long season of waiting was coming to an end.
This is a promise spoken into darkness—
a reminder that God’s mercy moves toward us before we ever move toward him.
Advent reminds us that Hope is not naïve.
Hope is not passive.
Hope is rebellion—a fierce, steady, defiant trust that light is coming.
As you look around at the shadows of your life, at the darkness in our world, the natural…even logical response, would be despair. Yet, advent offers us a genuine hope inside our groaning. God became flesh, inhabited our world and defeated the darkness that envelops it…and us. Therefore, it’s truly audacious to declare God’s goodness and light in situations that seem hopeless.
Hope is an act of rebellion in a world marked by disease, disorder and disdain.
As we return to our passage in Luke (this time from the message paraphrase) allow God to give you a vision of the dawn cresting over the hill of darkness the hope on the horizon.
When my son was young, my husband would sing to him at night. And one song he would sing, year round was O Holy Night. The line that speaks to me every time…even as I’m Christmas shopping in Target is:
A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn.
Our world is weary. I am weary. I’m sure you are too.
But take heart. God has been at work in the darkness.
Like Jonah was restored in the dark belly of a fish.
Like Israel began its long walk toward freedom under the cloak of night.
And even the resurrection—the moment that changed history—
happened while it was still dark.
This is the character of our God. He doesn’t avoid darkness…he enters it and he brings with him his light that cannot be extinguished.
So today we dare to hope—
not because the world is less weary,
but because Christ is near.
In Advent, we are invited to wrestle with our longings, desires, and hopes for a world marked by grace, goodness, and peace. Longing for this promised world when all we can see is darkness is truly an act of courage.
So, let’s take a moment to speak with God honestly.
You might pray silently,
or simply breathe a word or two that expresses your longing.
Where in your life do you feel “in the dark”—and how might God already be present there?
What would it look like to practice hope as an act of rebellion this week?
What longing or desire is stirring in you this Advent? Can you bring it honestly to God?
Where do you see small evidences of light breaking through?