In the Season of Advent we have been waiting for God’s promise of a child who would be called Immanuel, God with us. God comes to be with us because of God’s great love for us.

So today, as we light the candle of love in the Advent wreath, let us say with the psalmist:

“Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love … Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and shield … Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you (Psalm 33:18-22).

We echo the words of the hymn-writer who wrote:

O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in Thee.

I give Thee back the life I owe,

That in Thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

Amen.

Today we light the candle of joy in the Advent wreath. This is still the Season of Advent. We are still waiting to see all that God will do.

We are waiting for a day when “The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces … It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isa 25:8-9).”

For us Christians, this time of waiting is also a time of joy. We follow the example of Jesus and “run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

On this second Sunday of Advent we light the candle of peace. In a world where there is so much turmoil, conflict and violence, we long for God’s promise of peace, with justice and good will among all people.

We envision the ultimate peace that the Promised One will bring. We wait for the day when war, agony and pain will come to an end. Nations and people who have long been divided will be together as one.

So today, as we light the candle of peace, we wait to hear the heavenly host announce to shepherds in the field: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14, NIV).

Advent is the first season of the Christian year. It is a time for us to wait in hope for the coming of Jesus as an infant in a feeding trough in Bethlehem.

It is also a time for us to wait in hope for the final coming of Christ to bring the New Creation into fulfillment.

So today, we light the candle of hope in the Advent wreath and we join our voices as we say with the psalmist:

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; … For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem” (Psalm 130:5, 7).