Dear God,

As we enter this season of advent, we come with hope.  I’m not sure about everyone God, but when I look at the world I only see glimpses of hopefulness.  It is troubling to see people in other countries oppressed because of their beliefs, not allowed to speak out against their leaders.  It doesn’t make sense to see poverty and its results homelessness, hunger, and poor health.  It hurts to see death at the hands of each other through wars whether between nations, ideologies, or individuals who can’t get along.  I worry that I am aware of all of this because I have been blessed with much privilege.  Too often the privilege I exercise is the privilege to do nothing.

I have hope for what you can do in the world.  I have hope for what you can do in me.  I have hope for what you can do in us.  You came into this world to change it, to redeem it.  May we open our hearts to this change.  When we sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel, may we express the hope of our heart that you would enter our lives as you entered the world and reconcile us to you.  In doing so God, may we stop looking into our world for glimpses of hope and look to your kingdom coming down on us daily bringing hope and redemption to our broken world through people just like us, your children, your own.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Amen.

Steven Turner, High School teacher in Virginia

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