But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. —Isaiah 40:31

The pictures show him sharply dressed in a navy-blue blazer, decorated with military medals, behind the walker that he uses to get around. That walker didn’t stop Captain Sir Tom Moore. Neither did his 100 years of age. Captain Tom, as he became famously known, walked 100 laps around his backyard and became a viral sensation who raised $40 million for the British health care system in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It started as a challenge from his son-in-law and went viral when posted to a fundraising website. Captain Tom’s sense of steady perseverance inspired Great Britain during a time it needed hope. “The first step was the hardest,” Captain Tom told reporters after. “After that, I got into the swing of it and kept on going.”

Isn’t that always true? The first step is always the hardest. But hope gives us the push to get going. Captain Tom began walking with the hope that he might be able to help someone. Hope spurs us to take that first step in a difficult time. Hope enables us to keep walking, one more step at a time. And hope sustains us with the vision that there is a better ending. Isaiah reminds us that our strength is renewed when we put our hope in the Lord. The hope that Christ has brought into the world allows our spirit to soar like an eagle. It fuels us to keep walking, one step at a time.

Ask Yourself These Questions?
Where is hope leading you?
What is the next step God is leading you to take this Christmas season?
Write the answer down in an Advent Diary.