Read: Psalm 71:5-16
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices
I love the idea of exploring the Psalms at Advent. Thanks to all the ways our congregation has been invited to explore the Psalms, I have found a new appreciation of the Psalms as timeless poetry that give voice to the hopes, frustrations, dreams, doubts, and desires of God’s people. The psalmist in this particular poetry, is clearly rotating through all of these feelings; and I can relate… sometime in the course of a single hour! During Advent we channel all of these same sorts of human feelings into the anticipation of a coming Christ, a Christ with us, a Christ Incarnate.
We are living in unprecedented days on multiple fronts, yet still compelled to navigate this time in a way that focuses our hope on God’s purposes in the world, in this country, and even on our corner of Oak and Charlotte Streets. That is the hope in Psalm 71. As we put the struggles of another historic year behind us and I read this psalm, I also think of the beloved Christams carol, O Holy Night. Without question we are weary, yet still motivated to rejoice with the thrill of hope.
Despite the naysayers, the critics, and the very real struggles in this world, hope is a wonderful gift. We are compelled by our hope in God’s redeeming grace to action, are we not? My prayer for all of us is that this Psalm, in this season, brings both a sense of frustration and hope, and that we turn this frustration into action that brings hope for others. This is our call as the body of Christ at work in the world today.
But me? I will hope. Always. (v.14, CEB)
~Leesa Brandon
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