Advent Journey: On Hope

            

Christmas preparations have had a different dimension for me this year. There has been the usual shopping, decorating, wrapping kind of thing going on, but with only three of us at home this time, it's been much more low key than normal. Now, here I am, on Christmas Eve, with everything ready for a fairly relaxed day tomorrow.

Yet, I feel different about it all tonight. Yes it is lovely sitting here in the candle light, warmed by the fire, but the glow I am feeling is not from this. As I have walked this path, I have become more aware of who God is, and what he means in my life. I have really understood the power of the Nativity story as if for the first time. "And The Word became flesh and lived among us" is, in my opinion, the most thrilling verse ever written. When I think that Jesus was born into this world, for me. He ministered to me, and he suffered and died because of me. He became like me, so that I could become like Him. Words cannot express the awe that I feel thinking of this. This is what Christmas really means. So now, as I stand in the centre of that spiral path, I turn to face the Light, and I know that Jesus will always be with me and He will guide me on and on as we spiral back out again. The journey here will never be finished, and I am guessing I might have many more stops and starts as I go. But at this moment, as Christ approaches, I am filled with Hope, as I reach out for His Hand once more.