Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent consists of the four Sunday’s before Christmas. During Advent we prepare for a proper celebration of Christmas. Advent helps us to be intentional about keeping Christ in the forefront of our celebration of Christmas. The word advent is derived from the Latin word adventus and means “coming.”
The season of Advent traditionally focus on the two “comings” of Christ. We remember the first advent, when the Son of God took on flesh and was born as the baby of Bethlehem. During Advent, we adopt the perspective of God’s people before Christ was born. We see this in the words of some of the Advent hymns, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” The hymn expresses great longing and anticipation for the coming of the Messiah who would provide salvation and establish His kingdom. There is a focus on God’s promises in the Old Testament.
Advent also focuses on the Second Advent when Christ will return to judge the world and establish His everlasting kingdom of justice, righteousness, and peace. The sin, evil, and brokenness of this present age will be no more. No more greed, no more hatred, no more wars, no more social injustice; the strong will no longer oppress the weak, for the meek shall inherit the earth. Just as people needed to prepare for the first coming of Christ, we need to prepare for His return. We should watch, wait, and long for the time when Christ will come and do what only He can do: permanently eradicate evil and establish a kingdom in which the love of God will reign supreme.
The days before Christmas can be a very hectic, stressful time. There is all that Christmas shopping to do, intensified this year by the relatively short time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Add to that putting up decorations, baking cookies, employee Christmas parties, and special programs our children may be participating in, and it might seem as if there is little time to prepare spiritually for Christmas. But consider this: investing some time into quietly waiting on God and preparing ourselves spiritually can help reduce the stress we feel and give a sense of peace and joy in the midst of all of our busyness. Attending the Advent services of your church can help. Check back here as I will be sharing some Advent devotionals designed to help you keep the focus on Christ.