{"product_id":"mini-movies-mm-ltp-00000018-advent-candle-hope","title":"Advent Candle - Hope","description":"What are you hoping for this Christmas? A new toy? Some time to relax as another fiscal year comes to an end? Maybe you are hoping to mend a strained relationship with a family member. Or maybe you are hoping to get through the first holiday season without a loved one. Whatever it is, here you are… hoping.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nToo many times we assume that hope is synonymous with joy and excitement, but it’s really not, is it? I mean, that can be part of it, but sometimes hope is hard to hold on to.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nBefore Jesus was born, the Israelites hoped for the coming Messiah. God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” \u003ci\u003e(Isaiah 7:14)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nSo they waited. And they hoped. And they got to that point when hope was hard to hold on to…Then Jesus showed up, and Hope was literally born.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nToday is the first day of the advent season. The term “advent” comes from the Latin word for “coming,” and this season is meant to make us think about the time that Jesus came to earth as a baby. It is also a time to be reminded that He is coming again. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nSo today we light the candle that represents Hope, but what is that supposed to mean to us? We know Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived a perfect life, died beneath the weight of our sins, and rose in righteousness. But what does that mean as we sit here hoping for whatever it is we are hoping for?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\nWhat it means is this: we can have hope because Jesus still shows up.\r\n","brand":"AJL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48124015083735,"sku":"MM-LTP-00000018","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/4182\/2167\/files\/3a9b656879b1b1f141be5e7ffac7a68b34574f2e_S_MM_LTP_MM_000019.jpg?v=1776824222","url":"https:\/\/worshiphousemedia.com\/products\/mini-movies-mm-ltp-00000018-advent-candle-hope","provider":"WorshipHouse Media","version":"1.0","type":"link"}