As I glanced out the front door at my pathetically wilted mums, my eye caught a yellow blossom. And then another. Circling the plant, I found at least three more blossoms on what seemed like petrified green leaves.  I thought the sunny mums would never bloom again. I had come dangerously close to giving up on the plant. Just issuing a military “haircut” down to the bare bones.
     With the bud of new life, Hope sprung in my heart. If I provided some tender loving care, more frequent watering, and a smidgen more plant food, this mini bush would bloom color through a cloudy, chilly winter days.
     It reminded me of our walk with the Lord. We approach our initial relationship with enthusiasm, fertilizing this blossom of love with nourishment from the Word of God and sunshine from basking in His presence. As time passes, we can get a little careless with the relationship, forgetting to water the seed of love, joy, hope, and salvation that the Lord planted in our hearts. Just as the plant withered due to neglect, so does our relationship with the Lord wither. We may be tempted to throw away that relationship because we think we have ruined it. If we just wait on the Lord, He will come and snip away what is dead in our life so that new blossoms full of joy and hope can unfold shimmering with His brilliant light.
     This week of Advent focuses on the Hope we have in Jesus. Hope in the waiting for His Advent. Hope in the celebration of His birth that brings us salvation through His death. What a paradox! Death that brings life.
     I need to be busy about nourishing that life and increasing in Hope.

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 NIV

How will you nourish this week the Hope that blossoms in your heart?