As I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of the 2024 election season. There are no winners decided yet. Honestly, I’m feeling a bit jaded. When I was asked to write about hope for Advent, I remembered the 2008 election. Do you remember the Barack Obama “Hope” poster? Shepard Fairey based the design on a photo taken an AP freelance photographer. The poster showed then-presidential-candidate Obama with his gaze lifted up. He is stylized in red, white, and blue with bold block font “HOPE” at the base. This image was everywhere back then, and it clearly resonated with many people. For the first time, many saw a presidential candidate that looked like them. This was during the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression.

Looking back, I this reminds me of some groups during Jesus’ time. The Zealots thought Jesus came overthrow the Roman government. The Essenes thought they could retreat from society to remain holy and pure. The Pharisees thought strict adherence to the law was the only way forward. The Sadducees thought they were above all in both holiness and social status. They all had one thing in common: none understood what Jesus came to do.

Jesus came to change people’s hearts, not their politics. With Jesus in your heart, everything changes, not just one dimmension of life. No matter the election outcome, I pray for revival in our hearts. I pray that we would be the body of Christ in our community.

Loving Jesus, help us to keep our hope in you, and you alone. Divert our eyes from the squabbles of politics. Fix us on loving our neighbor as you love us. AMEN.