Experiencing Advent
I saw the first Christmas commercial this year on October 31st. While I’d like to believe that corporations intended this to bring in a season of love and gratitude as early as possible, I know it has to do with making money as early as possible. That’s expected. The world is gonna be the world. Even with stores being meticulously adorned and festively flavored lattes being consumed with reckless abandon as soon as November hits, I always find myself feeling behind the ball, or dare I say, ineffective when it comes to Advent. It’s not for lack of resources either. I have several family devotions, calendars, books, activities, an Advent candle set and even a little poseable shepherd who is supposed to be configured all over the home doing good deeds in countdown to Christmas (take that, Elf!). I don't even take him out of storage anymore.
I am so good at starting these things, I am just not very good at being consistent with them and at some point, I just quit and convinced myself that next year I will start earlier and do better. It’s not because I don’t revere Advent. It’s not because I am not incredibly grateful for Jesus. This year, I realized it was because I was focusing on doing instead of experiencing.
When I was getting toward the end of the Old Testament this year, I was emotionally worn out from all that the Israelites had endured due to their rejection of God. So much violence, being torn from their homes, living in squalor, being stripped of their identity, and in many cases, without hope. I don’t know that I have ever been so excited to get into the gospels as I was after months of following Israel's downward spiral of devastation starting in the Garden. I know that I know that God loves His people so very, very much. I can’t even fully comprehend how much He loves us. But His love still allows us to live out the consequences of our actions and live in a sin-ridden world. It was in that heaviness that a turn of a page into the Gospel of Matthew turned the page into the fulfillment of our ultimate redemption, Jesus. I was teary as if it were the first time that I was reading about God having a solution in store for His people. I immersed myself in the story and imagined each of the players and how impacted they personally were by the birth of this unassuming baby.
The shepherds, living on the outskirts of town in an often lonely and forgotten existence. How loved and seen, they must have felt that God would send His angelic messengers to invite them to witness the birth of the Messiah and King.
The wise men, who were closely examining the stars in hopes that the answer was out there, had had God Himself speak to them through His creation and let them in on a part of His plan for all. How affirmed they must have felt that the great God who lit up the vast cosmos that they studied, knew and spoke directly to them.
The angels, who have borne witness to the entire love story of God and humanity. I think of that angelic choir singing His praises as they celebrated the manifestation of the grand power and love of their Creator. “Glory to God in the highest”! How gracious and loving their Creator is.
Even me, thousands of years later, a mere speck on the line of human existence, rejoices from such a deep place. My heart cries in sweet relief as I read the gospels. Finally, the solution is here. Jesus came for all of us, me included. It’s corporate and personal. Love came for me. I am rescued. I have hope.
Our world today feels much like the Old Testament world. Wars, hopelessness, injustice, so much sadness and despair - and also those who have great power yet are deaf and cold to the needs of others. We are again holding to the promise of the Messiah, the one who will come once again and once and for all to bring justice and relief.
So, while Jesus came once and redeemed those of us who would believe and receive Him, we are waiting for Him to come again and usher us into a pain-free forever with Him. Advent means “coming”. We are living in the “meantime” but we are not without hope because JESUS IS COMING. I don’t know about you but I need that truth to wash over me every day in order to get through these times. While the Messiah came and the King of Kings was promised to come, today we have Emmanuel with us. We have a Holy Spirit, counselor, and comforter who is within and will guide us as we face each day.
I still want to do advent activities with my kids. I will still light candles once a week. We will sing and pray and read the account of Jesus’ birth. But this year I am leaving out the guilt and pressure and exchanging it for simply and profoundly experiencing my Jesus. I am so grateful that he came and I am waiting expectantly for Him to come again.
Amigas, how are you observing Advent this year?
