Finding Peace and Hope in Advent's Anxieties

And so, sometimes it's really good just to kind of name them. And so, we have in here a place for you to name whatever might be on your heart with a bit of anxiety. Just to name them before the Lord. And so, and later on. If you don't name it, you're going to really be disappointed in the sermon. So, I'm just going to let you know. Name it. [00:07:46] (25 seconds)


That in the dark moment, it's when God's presence seems ever closer. It's where we're comforted, where we get a word, where we get hope, where we get circumstances start to shift and change. And that's exactly what happens with Joseph. He begins to get the context. He begins to understand what's going on. [00:30:59] (28 seconds)


we find in the scriptures that the name of God who God is this one who is with us with us is defined in isaiah 9 6 we're told that a child will be born and this government will be upon his shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor mighty god everlasting father prince of peace so not only is god always with us in the lifequakes but he's he's there to save us and the way he saves us is that he's a wonderful counselor [00:34:04] (34 seconds)


at the table. It's unconditional love. It's part of a bigger family. A parent is, and it's forever, and something in our souls just cries for connection, and he's saying, I am everlasting father. Like, I will always be your father. I will never die. I am always with you, and so you have my identity. You have my DNA. You have my family. You have my protection. You have my provision. You have my love, my name. [00:37:10] (35 seconds)


In this mountain of anxiety, you can begin to pray, and I will begin to take it away. In his presence, things begin to find the thing that was a mountain becomes just but a grain of sand. Things get perspective. In time, we begin to realize that nothing can separate us from his love, and as we begin to pour out our heart, we always find his peace. [00:38:33] (30 seconds)


It's like having the best marriage. You just want to be with that person because their very presence brings you life. Sin is being separated from Jesus. God is like, it's like a desert. This parable that John Eldredge talks about, a particular sea lion, who lived in a desert, and he was there in the desert for a long, long time. It was dry, and it was the only life that the sea lion knew, but something in him longed for more, and [00:39:40] (32 seconds)


And because God lives, because God is with us, Emmanuel, we begin to know more and more peace, more and more wisdom, more and more joy, more and more hope, and more and more love. That's what Jesus does. He is the wonderful counselor offering wisdom and guidance when we're lost, when we're lost and confused. He is the mighty God providing strength when we hit impossible situations. He is the everlasting Father reminding us of our identity as beloved children, even when we feel worthless and abandoned. [00:43:48] (34 seconds)


Sometimes we don't know. We really clearly know our anxiety, and we clearly know our life quake. But what God wants us to know is that God's got this. That God is with you in this. He will get you through this. He's got this. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He's got this. [00:46:39] (30 seconds)


We all have stuff that we need you to help us with. Sometimes it's just simply the challenges we have how to navigate Christmas dinner and just wisdom on what to say and what not to say and, would you grant us that? Sometimes we need strength. We just don't have the strength to be decided. are people. We know how weak we are and those places give us strength. [00:49:40] (37 seconds)