FILO: Advent for the Church Technical ArtistMuestra

Today we are looking at a passage from Psalms, chapter 43, verses 3-5.

Send out your light and your truth;

let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live.

There I will go to the altar of God,

to God—the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp,

O God, my God!

Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again—

my Savior and my God!

In my house, we have nightlights all over! We have motion-activated lights in stairwells and bathrooms. We have nightlights that change color. My kids love picking colors. I’m a low light or cool blue guy, but my boys prefer the dance party setting. There’s nothing like getting up for a glass of water and seeing a rainbow underneath the door!

Why all the lights? Finding your way at night is essential in a home occupied by young boys. Stepping on a rogue LEGO is a powerful experience. The ability to navigate a clear and trusted path is something everyone desires.

I resonate with the psalmist, asking God to send light and truth to help guide him. After years of ministry, I still find myself in moments with more questions than answers. Figuring out how to pull off the new vision for the Christmas season can put many of us in that spot! On the one hand, these moments are an answer to prayer. New dreams and projects stretch us and bring us to unknown territory. But the unknown can feel uncertain and even discouraging at times.

I’m thankful for seasons like Christmas, though. Busy as it can be for many of us if done correctly, it can serve as a great reminder of why we do what we do!

We have the privilege of knowing God sent the light that the psalmist requested! We get to read about God’s son, Jesus! How he lived and how he treated people. We know that as he left the earth, we gained the ultimate guide, the Holy Spirit!

Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live.

There I will go to the altar of God,

to God—the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp,

O God, my God! - Psalm 43:3 - 4

To do the Christmas season effectively, we must tuck away and spend time with the Lord, “The source of my joy.” Outside of our work, don’t forget to step aside and spend time on your own with Him. Yes, use your “harp” or whatever skill you bring to the experience, and offer it back to God every time! But don’t let that be the only time!

Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again—

my Savior and my God!- Psalm 43:5

In this season, put your hope in God. He’s the reason we got into all this! If you’re like me, I can drift and quickly get discouraged depending on the success or difficulties coming from the experience I help facilitate. When I prioritize stepping away, even just to fast and pray over a lunch hour, I find myself refreshed and reminded why we’re doing it all. Let those times be the source of your joy and use your skills to the best of your ability to share God’s story this season!

- Sam Van Dyn Hoven