Devotion: The Candle of Hope

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (Isaiah 9:2)

Supplies: Advent wreath with candles with the first candle lit (optional), Lyrics to the song “Taken” (free download of the song may be found here: http://belovedschurch.org/hope/taken.php).

Opening prayer:

Dear God, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus, to be our light and our hope. Thank You for seeking us when we were lost. In your Son’s name, Amen.

Questions:

Have you ever gotten lost?

What was that like?

What was it like when you found your way or were found by someone else?

Have you ever felt lost or alone in your life (ex. struggling with college decisions, parents getting divorced, etc.)?

What was/is that like?

How did find your way?

What was it like when you found your way or someone else helped you find your way?

Say: Every year, our church celebrates the season of Advent. We do this to prepare our hearts and our minds for Christmas and the birth of Jesus and we prepare our hearts and minds for His return.

One of the traditions that we observe during this time is the lighting of the Advent candles. Each week, we light an additional candle as Christmas draws closer. This first week, we light the candle that is sometimes referred to as the candle of hope.

Why is having hope important?

Is there a connection between feeling lost and alone and hope?

Is it hard to hope when you feel lost? What helps restore your hope?

Read: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).

What does this verse tell us about being lost and having hope?

Say: This verse is a reminder to us, that because of Jesus’ great love for us, we are no longer lost. Through His death and resurrection, we have been given new life and a new hope. We are people who are no longer walking in darkness. We have hope. We have been found.

Say: For our closing prayer, we are going to listen to a song called, “Taken.” (Provide the words to the song.) Use this time to thank God that through His son, that we have been found and for the hope that He provides.

Taken

Long before anyone saw us we were seen by you.
Long before anyone heard us we were listened to.
Long before anyone spoke to us we were spoken to
by the voice of eternal Love, an everlasting Love.