The Fourth Day of Advent
Again Isaiah says,
“There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:12-13 (NASB)
Southern and Eastern Africa have always been enamored with the Baobab tree. It is a conundrum to many: how can a tree so large, survive the dry and sometime drought- ridden winter months of the savanna. The answer lies with the tree’s extensive network of roots, hundreds of organic pipes pulling in water across the ground. Romans 15: 7-13 tells us of a root that comes from the line of Jesse, a root that like the roots of the Baobab tree, is the source of life in a dry land. Hope has come to the Gentiles through Christ; Matthew 12:21 testifies of this, proclaiming that the Gentiles will place their hope in Jesus. We are getting closer and closer to Christmas, a time when most people in our culture concentrate more on gifts and family than the hope the holiday truly represents. Many miss it. The gentile kings who brought gifts to the LORD missed it: Yes, He was born King of the Jews, but He was also the great beacon of hope to the Gentiles. He is the hope to the nations. This Christmas, we must embrace the truth that this holiday represents: Christ is the great hope that brings us life.
Kwenje Banda
This week’s Re:Verse passage is Matthew 1:18 – 2:12
