You Have Made Me Hope

When we can get our arms around the divine message that we were loved by God, who knew us in the womb before our birth, and that we will be loved, as well, long after we have shuffled off this mortal coil, then we can begin to put our "successes" and "failures" in this world, into perspective. We can begin to see our lives in a much broader creative context than the one that is bounded by our daily doings. We can begin to see our lives in a perspective that is grounded in God's goodness and our own worthiness.

Advent is the season of such divine perspective; a season that is all about stretching our understanding of reality; a season that introduces us to the already here and yet not quite realized notion of the kingdom of God. A season that we have experienced every year since our birth, and yet….who knows where it will take us this year. This is the stuff of which hope is made. This is the season of Advent.

Today I invite us to truly awake to this day in a spirit of unfettered possibility. I invite us to spend some time this day very intentionally opening our hearts to the weight of the mystery that is about to be born; and to envision ourselves and our lives as a part of that mystery. How does the hope of the Incarnation live in us?

Psalm 119:49-72

מט  זְכֹר-דָּבָר, לְעַבְדֶּךָ--    עַל, אֲשֶׁר יִחַלְתָּנִי.	49 ZAIN. Remember the word unto Your servant, because You have made me hope.
נ  זֹאת נֶחָמָתִי בְעָנְיִי:    כִּי אִמְרָתְךָ חִיָּתְנִי.	50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has quickened me.
נא  זֵדִים, הֱלִיצֻנִי עַד-מְאֹד;    מִתּוֹרָתְךָ, לֹא נָטִיתִי.	51 The proud have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not turned aside from Your law.
נב  זָכַרְתִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מֵעוֹלָם יְהוָה;    וָאֶתְנֶחָם.	52 I have remembered Your ordinances which are of old, O LORD, and have comforted myself.
נג  זַלְעָפָה אֲחָזַתְנִי, מֵרְשָׁעִים--    עֹזְבֵי, תּוֹרָתֶךָ.	53 Burning indignation has taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake Your law.
נד  זְמִרוֹת, הָיוּ-לִי חֻקֶּיךָ--    בְּבֵית מְגוּרָי.	54 Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
נה  זָכַרְתִּי בַלַּיְלָה שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה;    וָאֶשְׁמְרָה, תּוֹרָתֶךָ.	55 I have remembered Your name, O LORD, in the night, and have observed Your law.
נו  זֹאת הָיְתָה-לִּי:    כִּי פִקֻּדֶיךָ נָצָרְתִּי.	56 This I have had, that I have kept Your precepts.
נז  חֶלְקִי יְהוָה אָמַרְתִּי--    לִשְׁמֹר דְּבָרֶיךָ.	57 HETH. My portion is the LORD, I have said that I would observe Your words.
נח  חִלִּיתִי פָנֶיךָ בְכָל-לֵב;    חָנֵּנִי, כְּאִמְרָתֶךָ.	58 I have entreated Your favour with my whole heart; be gracious to me according to Your word.
נט  חִשַּׁבְתִּי דְרָכָי;    וָאָשִׁיבָה רַגְלַי, אֶל-עֵדֹתֶיךָ.	59 I considered my ways, and turned my feet toward Your testimonies.
ס  חַשְׁתִּי, וְלֹא הִתְמַהְמָהְתִּי--    לִשְׁמֹר, מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.	60 I made haste, and did not delay to observe Your commandments.
סא  חֶבְלֵי רְשָׁעִים עִוְּדֻנִי;    תּוֹרָתְךָ, לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי.	61 The bands of the wicked have enclosed me; but I have not forgotten Your law.
סב  חֲצוֹת-לַיְלָה--אָקוּם, לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ:    עַל, מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ.	62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.
סג  חָבֵר אָנִי, לְכָל-אֲשֶׁר יְרֵאוּךָ;    וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי, פִּקּוּדֶיךָ.	63 I am a companion of all those who are in awe of You, and of those who observe Your precepts.
סד  חַסְדְּךָ יְהוָה, מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ;    חֻקֶּיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי.	64 The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; teach me Your statutes.
סה  טוֹב, עָשִׂיתָ עִם-עַבְדְּךָ--    יְהוָה, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.	65 TETH. You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.
סו  טוּב טַעַם וָדַעַת לַמְּדֵנִי:    כִּי בְמִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ הֶאֱמָנְתִּי.	66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge; for I have believed in Your commandments.
סז  טֶרֶם אֶעֱנֶה, אֲנִי שֹׁגֵג;    וְעַתָּה, אִמְרָתְךָ שָׁמָרְתִּי.	67 Before I was afflicted, I erred; but now I observe Your word.
סח  טוֹב-אַתָּה וּמֵטִיב;    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.	68 You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes.
סט  טָפְלוּ עָלַי שֶׁקֶר זֵדִים;    אֲנִי, בְּכָל-לֵב אֶצֹּר פִּקּוּדֶיךָ.	69 The proud have forged a lie against me; but with my whole heart I will keep Your precepts.
ע  טָפַשׁ כַּחֵלֶב לִבָּם;    אֲנִי, תּוֹרָתְךָ שִׁעֲשָׁעְתִּי.	70 Their heart is gross like fat; but I delight in Your law.
עא  טוֹב-לִי כִי-עֻנֵּיתִי--    לְמַעַן, אֶלְמַד חֻקֶּיךָ.	71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, in order that I might learn Your statutes.
עב  טוֹב-לִי תוֹרַת-פִּיךָ--    מֵאַלְפֵי, זָהָב וָכָסֶף.	72 The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.