What does one do in Advent? I have spent a lot of time thinking about ways to celebrate and "enter" into the Advent season. The prevailing themes of the Advent season, and the symbolism behind the activities which churches and families share, are varied among many traditions. Europe’s churches celebrate Advent with festivals such as St. Lucia day and St. Nicholas day. Ethnic celebrations add to the interesting ways others around the world embrace this season.
From the beginning, I tried to turn Advent into a season of reflection, meditation, slowing to embrace the mystery of the Incarnation. Words that I have learned to describe Advent are: Preparation, Expectation, Anticipation, Fulfillment, Hope, Peace, Joy, Sharing, Faithfulness, Mystery, Love, and more. These themes are varied, but whatever the word/themes they became a means of reflection about the reason for Christ’s coming.
When we began as a family to celebrate Advent, we incorporated an Advent wreath made up of 5 candles – four around the outside, and one in the center (See the appendix for ideas about making your own Advent wreath).
On each Sunday beginning a new week in
Advent, a new candle is lit (as well the candles from previous week(s). The center candle was the last one to light
and this happened on Christmas day. It
helped remind us that Jesus is the light of the world and that came to pierce
the darkness with the light of his life.[1]
Advent is a perfect time to read, pray, journal. It is a slowing time – time to spend in worship and prayer centered around the meaning and the story of Christ’s coming. Using an Advent devotional like this one isn’t meant to replace personal time of meditation and reflection in scripture – it is meant to enhance it.
For years my routine was simple: each morning I took my bible, and often one, or two, Advent devotional books and spent time “musing” my way through the season. I would read the scriptures for that day; spend some time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help me see the beauty and wonder of Christ Jesus’ coming. In some seasons, I wrote in a journal some short, but meaningful thoughts that I made from scripture and readings. I did this for many years, until the means to write an online journal (blog) replaced it and became a way of sharing with my family and friends. Over the last few years this has developed into an Advent blog. My purpose has been to enter into the season of Advent, intentionally, purposefully, worshipfully, in order to see God in this season of Incarnation that we celebrate in Christmas.
For those who think this is too much time out of there already busy day I suggest a simple remedy: set your clock to wake up 5-15 minutes earlier and incorporate some of these things into your day, even if only a few minutes is available. The temptation to think that we are only creating “one more thing to do” before Christmas is not the purpose, but rather to slow down, celebrate, reflect on what is going on in the days leading up to Christmas that allows to keep Christ Jesus as the focus in all that is done.
An Invitation to You – Come Along on an Advent Journey
I have a deep passion for Advent. I see in Advent a place of wonder, mystery, fulfillment, anticipation, spiritual “waiting”, and expectation – and it fills my soul with a joy that is impossible to convey in words.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, Advent is for you. Maybe you thought it was for “those others”, but it is not. Whether you have enjoyed Advent for many seasons, or if you have never taken time to journey through an entire Advent season – let me invite you to come along with me. We will together - prayerfully, reflectively, worshipfully - discover the beauty of Jesus’ Advent into our world.
I wrote an Advent Devotional - "An Advent Sojourn" - that is set up to begin on the first Sunday of Advent and there are enough days to cover all the possible Advent days in any season. If you come to Christmas day before the writings are finished, you can skip to Christmas eve and Christmas day.
God declared,
Isaiah 9:6 For a
child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will
rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
I promise, taking time to prayerfully sojourn through the “Advent season” will make Christmas much more “wonderful" for you.
[1] The practice of
lighting Advent candles began in Germany. They lit candles surrounded by
evergreen branches in their windows on cold winter nights to signify their hope
for the coming warmth and light of spring!
Later,
German Lutherans kept the practice alive and gradually the symbolism of the
Advent wreath was added: evergreens represent everlasting life (because they do
not die during winter) and Christian growth.
The wreath became a symbol of God's eternal love. The candles represent Christ, the light of
the world! The symbolism of lighting the
candle each week reminds us of the way God prepared the world for his Son’s
coming; and the realization that God continues to prepare the world for when
Jesus will return again.
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