… if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the Gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:23)
The crowning achievement of evil is to destroy hope.
It would be nearly impossible to kill and maim and abandon and … quit … if men were to maintain hopeful hearts. I say nearly, for hope can be adulterated. Because the devil, who is a liar and the father of lies, lies to us, some have protracted a hope so false that it has taken them on an express train into darkness. Eve, and then Adam, hoped a false hope, which was no hope at all, but more on that to come.
Satan must not be given to speak uncontested into our souls, and in this Advent season, we have opportunity to proclaim truth and see it catch and burn and glow. That we may do any season, of course, but Advent is such a good time for making a good beginning, or for renewing our dedication to the spoken word of truth.
When we light our Advent candles tonight, we may say …
“Father, we will continue in faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the Gospel which we have heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and we present ourselves to be made servants of that great and glorious truth at home and abroad.” (Colossians 1:23)
Let us be assured, someone or something is speaking to us nearly every hour of the day, and we are reciting, at least in our minds. Let it be the word of the Gospel, the engrafted word, which is able to save our souls, and let us take advantage of every opportunity to speak as God has spoken, a lamp in a dark corner, even in our own hearts and homes. (James 1:21)
Ribs Dey, by permission, Wikipedia
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