The Necessity of Hope and the Power of Faith
The people of Israel hoped that a Messiah would come to save them. No doubt some Israelites even had faith that the Messiah would come in their lifetime. Did those who had hope have a different experience than those who had faith? Do we have different experiences when we hope for something and when we have faith in something? What do you hope for? What do you have faith in? Both hope and faith are necessary for moving forward in life and they have different functions and effects. The themes of the first week of the Advent Season are related not only to celebrating the Christmas season but also to experiencing a more fulfilling life.
