Elizabeth's Song of Hope

"After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” — Luke 1:24-25

Hope is a powerful thing. It is a necessary thing. As Paul writes in First Corinthians 13:13, only three things remain — faith, hope, and love. So it's fitting that Hope is the first candle of Advent, which beings today. Hope is foundational, necessary, and, sadly, often misplaced in our world.

People place hope in a lot of things of this world, and they often feel betrayed. In 2008, President Obama ran on a campaign of hope. He was elected and started his term with a nearly 80 percent approval rating. Just six weeks later, that rating was in the 40-percent range. Why? Because a human can't be the embodiment of hope.

We put our Hope in God, and His promises, and we'll never be disappointed. That was the story of Elizabeth. She was older and yearned for a child. In fact, in her culture she was disgraced because she didn't have a child. But she hoped in the Lord, and He delivered.

Elizabeth's response to her pregnancy is a beautiful portrait of Hope fulfilled. She is grateful for the gift and the way the Lord delivered on His promise.

During this season of Advent it's a great time to think about what we Hope for, what promises are yet to be fulfilled. Think about those things, pray to the Lord, and place your Hope in Him. This is the season of celebrating the Savior.