- Christmas is now in sight,
- Plus a list “to do” with all of our might
- May our days be merry and bright,
- Our hearts full, reflecting His light
- As we approach Christmas Day,
- Let’s remember to ponder and pray
- The Advent themes: hope, peace, joy and love—
- Blessings in Christ, gifted by God above!
Each week on the blog leading up to Christmas, I’ll post an Advent-themed devotional and prayer. Before we start the Advent devotional, here is an introduction to Advent for those who are not familiar with it:
About Advent
Advent is a season of 4 weeks in December which lead up to Christ’s birth/Christmas. The Latin word for “Advent” is adventus, which means, “coming.” During Advent, those who believe in Christ look back to His First Coming with grateful celebration of what our faithful God has done for His people. Then, we look forward to Christ’s Second Coming with eager anticipation of what our promise-keeping God will do for His People.
Many churches, including my church, observe Advent with a circular, flat-laying wreath symbolizing God’s eternal kingdom. Four candles sitting inside the wreath represent blessings found in Christ, such as hope, peace, joy, and love. Often, a candle called the “Christ’s Candle” is added. On the Sunday of each week of Advent, a candle is lit until all candles are lit. The lighting of the candles is a visual of Jesus bringing light and offering abundant life to a dark and dying world.
Hope
We’ve all experienced dark circumstances and dark days when it’s difficult to hold our heads up and carry our heavy hearts forward. At times, our own sin casts a dark cloud over us. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” and good grief—He wasn’t kidding. Thankfully, He doesn’t leave us in despair. His next words give us hope: “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33/NIV).
Yes—Jesus has overcome the world! His light burns brighter and stands stronger than the darkness of this world.
In the beginning, Adam and Eve invited the darkness into their lives with the fruit bites. Before they stepped into the darkened world, God graciously shared a glimmer of hope. He says His people and the serpent/satan will be enemies in this world. Though satan will strike the heel of God’s people, a child birthed from a God-fearing woman will crush satan’s head (Genesis 3:15). As Adam and Eve walked deeper into the cold, desolate world, the distance between them and God growing wider, their hearts guilt-ridden and their marriage strained—imagine how they must have clung to God’s hope-filled words.
*Imagine if Adam and Eve had lived long enough to see baby Jesus in the manager! How do you think they would have responded when they saw baby Jesus?
Their responses probably would have inspired Webster’s Dictionary to expand its definition of grateful!
What about the God-fearing generations who walked in the footsteps of Adam and Eve? Day after day, they experienced the failure of their sin-tainted hearts to honor the 10 Commandments, and ultimately, to honor their God. Their sacrifices atoned for their sins only long enough to carry them to the next day’s sacrifices. God’s people longed for their relationship with God to change for the better. God graciously delivered hope to them through prophets like Isaiah:
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” –Isaiah 7:14/NIV
*Do you ever think about how blessed we are to live on this side of Christ’s miraculous birth, His life-transforming death on the cross, and His victorious resurrection?
*Do you ever contemplate how blessed we are to have the Bible?
Because we have the Bible, we have God’s hope-filled promises to His people in Old Testament times AND the New Testament revelations that God is a Promise-Keeper, forever faithful to His people! Though we live in a darkened world, the Light of the World has come! Not by our own doing, but by grace through the work of Christ on the cross, we have been saved!
We can enjoy the blessings of God’s fulfilled promise to send a Savior. We live in the revelation of hope Jesus brought into our world. Even still, God graciously gives us MORE hope! Jesus is coming again!
Jesus told His disciples: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
Jesus is coming back to make all things new and right, to fully establish God’s kingdom and to reveal the fullness of God’s Glory and love! He’s coming back to wipe away our tears, to remove death, mourning, and pain, and to heal our hearts! Do you feel that? It’s your heart longing for what could be…longing for what is to come…longing for “God’s kingdom to come, His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, We praise You, for You are a Faithful Father, Hope-Giver, and Promise-Keeper!
Thank You that “{You} so loved the world, that {You} gave {Your} one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Thank You that “by grace {we} have been saved through faith. And this is not of {our} doing; it is the gift from {You}, not a result of works, so that {we} may not boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We confess that we give this world far too much power in our lives. Please forgive us.
When this world brings trouble our way, draw us close to Jesus. When we’re tempted to despair, turn us to Your hope-filled promises. Let us not become so comfortable living in Your grace that we forget that we have what Old Testament believers longed for: the opportunity to enjoy deep relationship with You. This Christmas and beyond, teach us how to treasure You and seek to build our relationship with You above all else.
We celebrate Jesus coming into our world because…
- Our sins are forgiven!
- Our relationship with You is redeemed!
- You call us Your Beloved children!
- We know the Light of the World!
- We live enlightened and empowered by Your Holy Spirit within us!
- We live with purpose—for Your glory!
- We live with hope!
We eagerly anticipate Jesus’ Second Coming. We long for Jesus…
- To make all things new and right.
- To fully establish Your Kingdom!
- To wipe our tears and heal our wounds.
- To free our hearts from sin once and for all!
- To usher us into Your Glorious Presence!
We long to come into the fullness of Your Presence, to learn everything about You, and to praise You freely without sin’s restraint!
In the Hope-Giving Name of Jesus, Amen.
.
*Verses are ESV unless noted
