December 16

“Flooded with light” - imagine an incredibly warm, almost overwhelming brightness pouring in, completely filling up the space, teeming over, leaving no room for darkness. It is THAT kind of light, or enlightenment, that Paul is referring to when he prays this in his letter to the Ephesians. SO THAT they might come to understand, to deeply know, and fully experience not just hope, but rather, “confident hope” for all the things God has promised them.

The word hope is used differently today than how it is used in the bible. “I sure hope January is warmer than December has been!” – it is more like wishful thinking. In contrast, the word hope in the New Testament, and the “confident hope” that Paul is referring to, is “sure and certain” – derived from the Greek word elpis meaning “trust, have confidence, to anticipate with joy, to welcome and expect with certainty, and look toward the future with assurance.”

What would it look like for us to lean more fully into “confident hope” this Advent? Allow yourself the peace of knowing that this, “flooding of light” is for us too – and know with confident hope that you are beloved and belong to, “his rich and glorious inheritance.”

Photo credit: unsplash.com/@tonywang7