Week One: Preparing for FORTITUDE OF FAITH
The early Church understood fortitude to be a virtue; a strength of the spirit to overcome persecution, death, suffering, and fear found when we are deeply rooted in faith. Considering the price many early Christians paid to be followers of Jesus, we can see why this virtue was highly treasured by the Church for centuries. As I prayed with God about Advent, I began to wonder: Have we perhaps lost a sense of fortitude in our current understanding of the Christian faith? What would it look like to live as a person fortified by faith in Christ?
I don’t know about you, but lately I have felt a need to be strengthened in my faith in order to remain faithful to the gospel in a world that seems against the message of Emmanuel, God with us.
The first week of Advent focus’ on Hope which I think is appropriate in setting the tone for Advent. As we light the hope candle we are reminded that God in Christ is the light shining in the darkness breaking through to us in the flesh and offering hope. Jesus is the hope of the world turned to darkness.
There are three truths in Romans 8 that should affirm our hope and fortify our faith. First, we are God’s free children who are heirs to the Kingdom, secondly, we will suffer as we wait, yet we are strengthened to endure by the help of the Holy Spirit, and thirdly, our hope, though unseen, is our present reality. In Christ, these promises strengthen us.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8: 14-25 (NIV)
Meditation
Take some time to sit with this Roman passage in prayer and meditation. In the first week of Advent we begin our pilgrimage toward opening ourselves in order to welcome Christ into our lives, our world. Here are some questions to help you ponder: As you reflect over last year, where do you notice a need for your faith to be fortified as you wait for Christ? What about Romans 8 offers you hope for whatever you are facing in life? How can you ask the Holy Spirit to help you be more opening and welcoming to Christ’s desire to dwell with you?
For a printable devotion for this series, please visit Global Trellis:
