The Heart of Advent: Celebrating the Promise of Jesus’ Coming
As Christians, we are a people of promise. For centuries, God prepared His people for the coming of His Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of those promises – that God would make a way for us to draw near to Him. The season leading up to Christmas is called Advent, a time of anticipation and preparation for the coming of Jesus.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Advent is a time of looking back, remembering the thousands of years during which God’s people waited for the coming of God’s salvation. We read in 1 Peter 1:10-12 about the prophets who foretold the coming of Jesus, but did not know when or how He would come. They were serving us, the future generations, by announcing the good news of Jesus’ coming.
At the same time, Advent is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at His Second Coming. We are still waiting for the redemption of our bodies, for Jesus to come again and complete our salvation.
Symbols of Advent
Two common symbols of Advent are candles and calendars. The candles represent the light of Christ, shining brighter each week as we approach Christmas. The calendars help us count down the days until Christmas, reminding us of the waiting and anticipation of God’s people throughout history.
Making Advent Meaningful
To make Advent more than just a tradition, we need to ask ourselves what makes these symbols meaningful. How can we use them to point our families and ourselves to Jesus? One way is to incorporate Scripture readings into our Advent celebrations, reading passages from the Bible that tell the story of Jesus’ coming.
A Season of Introspection
Advent is also a season for introspection, a time to examine our hearts and prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. We are called to be holy, to love the Lord our God, and to lay up His words in our hearts. As we celebrate Advent, let us remember that our ultimate hope is in Jesus, and that our lives should reflect our gratitude for His promises and our anticipation of His coming again.
Celebrating Advent with Our Families
As we celebrate Advent with our families, let us remember the importance of repetition and regularity in teaching our children about Jesus. Let us use this season to point them to the true meaning of Christmas, and to help them understand the promises of God that have been fulfilled in Jesus.
May this Advent season be a time of reflection, gratitude, and anticipation for us all, as we look back on the promises of God and look ahead to the coming of Jesus.
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