In Romans 5 we find all four of the Advent blessings within the opening five verses:
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Through Christ's first advent we have joy and hope, because God has "poured into" us His love through the Holy Spirit. But the first blessing Paul mentions is peace: We have "peace with God". The hostility brought into that relationship between us and God has been taken care of; we now know that we and God are "okay"; we realize that even death will not be able to separate us from His love, mercy and forgiveness. This peace fuels our hope and joy; it helps us appreciate His love; it calms all our fears. Do you have that peace, that sense of safety, which also give you hope and joy and makes you feel loved?
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