Dear Lord, open my eyes to understand you as the hope for my life, the author of my faith, joy of my heart and my perfect peace. Please show me through this Advent season how to journey from lament to hope.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9

John 15:10-12

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.1

John 15

Romans 12:11

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Romans 12

Psalm 103:13-14

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103

Of all the names of the Messiah listed in Isaiah 9:6, Everlasting Father evokes in me a deep emotional connection and sense of wonder. Our understanding of Everlasting Father could be hedged by our personal experience with our earthly father - good or bad. However, as I reflect my heart is drawn to ask and understand what characteristics of God He longs for me to experience as I embrace the Messiah as my Everlasting Father. He is reminding me of his joy,compassion, and , generosity. I sense the nearness of a Father who will never leave me regardless of what point I am on the journey from lament to hope.

Joy

This week of Advent we begin to move toward the joy and realization of the promise of the Messiah’s arrival. What joy the Everlasting Father brings to me and sees in me as His child! In John 15:10-12 Jesus says that our joy can be made complete by living within the boundaries we were created for (keeping his commands) and loving others. Our Everlasting Father’s eternal nature is not limited by seeing my moment in time outside of the whole story that is being written. That perspective allows Him to model for me the way to walk through grief and at the same time hold joy. Romans 12:11 says

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Compassion

The Psalmist penned in Psalm 103:13-14

As a father has compassion on his children so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

There is no need to hide in shame or believe a lie that says because I don’t do enough that I am not enough. He looks on me with eyes of a compassionate father and draws me to himself - brokenness and all - and reminds me that I am fully loved and accepted by Him. My limits and capacity are no surprise to my Everlasting Father. He transcends time. As my creator, he knows that I was made from dust and one day will return to dust. He knows the expiration date of my life and that one day my “doing” will end. I feel His arms of compassion wrapping me up during this Advent season.

My Everlasting Father knows me completely and loves me endlessly. He is calling me to rest in the compassion of my Everlasting Father.