The Hope of Advent
The Hope of Advent
Advent invites us to slow down and remember the God who comes near. He is near to redeem, near to restore, near to strengthen His people. For global workers, this nearness is not just theological; it is essential. You serve in places where hope can feel fragile, where joy requires intentionality, and where peace is often hard-won. Yet Romans 15:13 reminds us that these gifts are not self-produced, but rather God-given.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Paul does not call God a giver of hope but the God of hope. Hope is not a spiritual accessory; it is part of who He is. And because it is rooted in who He is, it does not rise or fall with circumstances, ministry fruitfulness, funding levels, teammates, or the weight of cross-cultural strain. Your hope is anchored in His unchanging character.
For global workers, Advent can stir both beauty and ache: distance from family, loneliness in a different culture, pressure to finish the year well, or a sense of emotional depletion. But Scripture doesn’t command you to manufacture hope, instead it points you to the One who fills you with it. Your role is not to force these qualities into existence; it’s to place the weight of your life—your fears, your longings, your disappointments—on the God who delights to sustain you.
Additionally, hope is never meant to stay contained within you. Paul prays that it would overflow—that it would spill out into your relationships, your conversations, your ministry, even your prayer life. And notice how this happens: “by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Not by skill, personality, cross-cultural competence, or resilience. The Spirit Himself breathes hope into every weary place and causes it to spill outward in ways you cannot orchestrate. Advent reminds us that God is still in the business of filling what’s empty.
This Advent, let Him remind you that hope isn’t something you chase. It’s someone who has come and runs after you always!
A Prayer: God of hope, fill Your servant with Your hope today. Where there is heaviness, bring rest. Where there is loneliness, bring Your presence. Where there is discouragement, plant seeds of renewed expectation. By Your Spirit, cause hope to overflow—spilling into their ministry, their relationships, and their inner life. Remind them that the same Christ who came is the Christ who is present and will come again. Amen.
-The MissioCare Collective Team