What Messy Hope, Part 1.
by Joseph Hughes
Psalm 10:17
Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
Every year during advent, I find myself daydreaming; putting myself into the rugged sandals of God’s people during the intertestamental period (Also known as the silent era, the approximate 400 years between the Old and New Testament where no prophets are recognized, and no canonical scriptures are
written). When I think about that time, I cannot help but wonder what it must’ve felt like. Generation after generation, praying fervently for The Lord’s Holy One, The Messiah, to come and restore, and bring justice to the vast suffering of his people. Not to mention the issues stemming from the Pharisee, Sadducee, and Essene Groups!
But, how did their hope look? I refuse to believe it was easy, or linear for that matter. We can imagine that their hope was messy; filled with bitter tears, and a strangling silence.
These thoughts were the conviction to write this song, “In Such Darkest Night”. As you read and reflect on the lyrics below, I encourage you to answer a simple question: “What does my hope look like?”
“In such darkest night, our Lord has heard our cry
What news of such great joy,
On earth and heaven above
The despised of man, our Christ
Baby boy, in dirt and cold
The nails that built the manger, would soon pierce our king
Born that eve, among the dirt,
None would recognize our savior
What friends the calf and ox
To welcome in our King
The Holy One, our Christ,
Wrapped within his mother’s arms
The tree that made the baby’s crib, would soon become the cross…..”
You can listen to the song here:
written). When I think about that time, I cannot help but wonder what it must’ve felt like. Generation after generation, praying fervently for The Lord’s Holy One, The Messiah, to come and restore, and bring justice to the vast suffering of his people. Not to mention the issues stemming from the Pharisee, Sadducee, and Essene Groups!
But, how did their hope look? I refuse to believe it was easy, or linear for that matter. We can imagine that their hope was messy; filled with bitter tears, and a strangling silence.
These thoughts were the conviction to write this song, “In Such Darkest Night”. As you read and reflect on the lyrics below, I encourage you to answer a simple question: “What does my hope look like?”
“In such darkest night, our Lord has heard our cry
What news of such great joy,
On earth and heaven above
The despised of man, our Christ
Baby boy, in dirt and cold
The nails that built the manger, would soon pierce our king
Born that eve, among the dirt,
None would recognize our savior
What friends the calf and ox
To welcome in our King
The Holy One, our Christ,
Wrapped within his mother’s arms
The tree that made the baby’s crib, would soon become the cross…..”
You can listen to the song here:
Reflection:
Take a moment to sit still. Breathe in and out. From the place of stillness, consider these questions:
- What does my hope look like?
- Can you recall something that you had to wait a really long time for?