In years gone by, young women had a piece of furniture “hope chest.” The chest was usually constructed of ornate, dark wood, with a large space inside lined with cedar and filled with antique linens. A young girl would fill her hope chest with items she would need if she got married. The hope chest was also a sign of hope that, one day, its owner would find true love: hoping to fall in love and get married to a good man.
Psalm 33 makes a strong connection between hope and love, a love that is not the romantic love of a bride and a groom. Rather, it is the “steadfast love” of God for God’s people. The phrase “steadfast love” offers one possible rendering of the Hebrew word chesed, which has a variety of English translations, including “kindness, lovingkindness, unfailing love, or mercy.” The OT consistently emphasizes God’s faithful, never-ending love for the people in covenant relationship with God. For His people, God’s love is unwavering. It is steadfast. Psalm 33 refers to “those whose hope is in [God’s] unfailing love” (v. 18). When we need God’s help, we put our hope in the truth of God’s love for us. We remember how God has loved us in the past and believe with confidence that God will love us in the future. When we put our hope in God’s love, God’s “eye is upon us.” This suggests, not only that God is paying attention to us, but also that God will “deliver [us] from death” (v. 19). Therefore, the psalm writer proclaims, “We wait in hope for the LORD.” Why? Because God “is our help and our shield” (v. 20). In the past we experienced God’s chesed when God helped us and protected us from danger. Therefore, the psalmist continues, “Our hearts rejoice in Him, because we trust in His holy Name” (v. 21). As we wait upon God, we are glad. This affirmation reiterates what is stated on Psalm 146:5: “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob; whose hope is in the LORD their God.” (146:5). The final verse of Psalm 33 is a prayer of request: “May Your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in You.” Our hope is oriented to the future. We long for that which we do not yet possess. Therefore, we must wait. Throughout all of Scripture, including Psalms, hoping and waiting are consistently interwoven. In our waiting, we cry out with the psalm writer, “Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us.” We might make explicit what is implicit in this request, “Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us now.” Even though we must wait with hope for the fullness of God’s future kingdom, with its healing, justice, and peace, we can experience God’s faithful love right now. When we do, our hope is strengthened and our waiting is filled with gladness. The hope chest was a sign of hope that one day she would know the love of a man with whom she would spend her life. Our hope differs from this because we do not have to hope that someday we might know God’s love for us. That love is available right now. The more we experience God’s love in the present, the more we will have strong hope for all that comes in God’s future. Yes, on that day we will know God’s love even more profoundly. But we don’t have to wait for the assurance of God’s love. It comes now, revealed through Christ, energized by the Holy Spirit, augmented in Christian community, and shared as we serve others. Thus, the Advent connection between hope and love is better than a hope chest. Advent is a time for us, not only to wait and hope, but also to experience in a fresh way God’s love for us, a love that strengthens our hope. In what ways have you experienced God’s love for you? For what are you hoping? What helps you to hang onto hope even when life is hard? Let Your steadfast love be upon me, O Lord, in this season of Advent. As I experience Your love for me, renew and refresh my hope in You. Comments are closed.
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