Advent is a season of
expectant waiting. As the Latin word for "coming" (
adventus), "Advent" is the translation of the Greek word
parousia - which is the common word for Christ's Second Coming. Observed since the 4th century, the season was formerly a time of strict fasting, similar to Lent. Now in many communities it is mainly marked by a spirit of penitence.
However, at
my church we observe a softer version of Advent. We light candles at the beginning of the services - each candle representing an episode of the birth of Jesus - and our pastor will preach more seasonally-based messages. We will have a Lessons and Carols service towards the beginning of Advent, but it is not an Advent service,
per se; it is a Christmas service. So for the most part, we as a community do not heartily observe 4 straight weeks of "expectant waiting". I don't have any beef with that fact. We simply weren't t raised observing the Church calendar, or many of us already have our own method (hopefully) for daily times of Bible study and prayer that don't revolve around the Church calendar.
And let’s face it, it’s practically impossible to enter into a time of
expectant waiting after Thanksgiving. Black Friday finds many of us at the stores at 4AM, Starbucks in hand, waiting in line for incredible deals, while every station we listen to, every channel we turn on, and every page we surf to floods us with the images and sounds of Christmas. And by December 26th we’ve had enough of Christmas, thank you very much.
So how
can we enter into this time of expectant waiting? Here are a few thoughts that come to my mind:
- Read your Devotions looking for themes of Advent
For example, I use the
daily reading plan from the ESV Literary Study Bible. The reading plan for this Monday included Isaiah 25 where it says:
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
I also read from John 21.
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
- Look for themes of Advent in the Scriptures
- Attend Worship!
Hebrews 10:24, 25 says,
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
- Look for themes
- Meet and worship with other Christians
- Make reference in your prayers to Christ’s coming
I think there are a couple of ways to do this that will keep your mind fixed on Christ's 1st and final Advent. First, give God heartfelt adoration for the Incarnation in your prayers throughout the day. I.e., today at lunch with my Technical Director - who will have a son any day now - we praised God for sending his Son. Simple enough, but pregnant with meaning as we considered the mystery of the Incarnation.
Secondly, in your daily prayers, at mealtime, at bedtime with your kids, beg the Lord to come soon. Train your mind to think about your future home, the Day of his Coming, the trumpets sounding, the dead rising, seeing Christ for the first time in all his glory, his white horse, his judgment throne, our confidence and reverential fear, the last day we shed a tear....think about these things.
- Look for themes
- Meet and worship with other Christians
- Make reference in your prayers to Christ’s coming
- Let his imminent arrival drive you to live less for the things of this world, and more for the things of eternity.
Keeping an Advent calendar, wreath, or burning an Advent candle can be great ways to keep our minds fixed on the advent of God. But if they fail to do so - if they are
only tradition - let them go. Whatever you can do to stimulate greater affection for God in your family, and prepare those under your care for Christ’s final Advent, do that.
When I switched to this new theme the comments link stopped working. I didn't even notice until some friends thought I was blocking them from my site. Sha, right! So in search for a cure I stumbled across Intense Debate, which is a commenting system on steroids designed by four young dudes. It hopefully will rid me of my recent blogger ills. ....Now if we could just figure out a way to rid my family of all our recent sicknesses.
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