Advent

The season of Advent is upon us. And I, for one, am VERY excited. Today, December 1, is the first day of Advent and the season will last through December 24. You may be wondering, “What is Advent?” Glad you asked…

Advent is a season in the Christian year that lasts approximately 4 weeks and is a season of preparation for and anticipation of the celebration of Christ’s birth. It has a parallel meaning in that Advent (in Latin – “coming’ or “visit”) mirrors the time of the Jew's anticipating and looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. So this time of Advent is a time of anticipation and excitement regarding the first coming of Christ and a keen awareness that we wait again, for His second coming. It is a time for prayer, meditation, repentance, and allowing the word of God to speak to us. For me, this is a very sobering and wonderful time of year. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the typical Christmas activities, it is a centering place. As I reflect on my Savior’s birth and look toward the future in anticipation of His return, I am able to find a place of joy and peace. Which brings me to the themes we observe during Advent.

The four weeks of Advent each focus on a theme. There is some variety regarding the four themes of Advent but for this blog, we will focus on the common themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. You may have also heard of or seen an Advent wreath. The wreaths have as much variety as one can imagine but the consistency is found in the candles: 3 purple and one rose colored candle. Some also add one white candle in the middle. The purple is a symbol of “seriousness, repentance, and royalty”. The rose color symbolizes joy in the midst of the season. Mark Roberts puts it this way, “The pink [rose], joyful color reminds us that, even as Advent helps us get in touch with our sober yearning for God to come to us, we know that he did in fact come in the person of Jesus.” Regarding the lighting of the candles: on week one, two, and four, the purple candles are lit. The rose colored candle is lit on week three. The white candle, symbolizing Christ, can be lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.

So for the rest of this season, we will focus on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. My prayer is that even if you have not traditionally observed Advent, that you would investigate it this year and that your spiritual life may be enriched as you study.  In an effort to be brief, I have not written nearly enough to help uncover the beauty or the history of this season but I have provided resources below that can start you on your Advent journey.  Blessings to you!

 

An overview of Advent and some of what I've shared may be found here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/introduction-to-advent/

Advent devotionals may be found here: http://www.biblegateway.com/holiday-devotions

Just As I Am - verse 6

Just as I am, thy love unknown hath broken every barrier down; now, to be thine, yea thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

In this final verse of Charlotte Elliott’s song, we see that it is God’s wondrous, inexplicable, unfathomable love that has destroyed any and every thing that would stand as a barrier between us and Him. Christ’s death on our behalf has done this. Our eternal future with Him is secure and the triumphant declaration is made that now we are His people. We are set aside to be in relationship with Him and to praise Him, to positively impact the world around us, and to live a full, joyful, and God-honoring life.

So now we know and understand that just as we are, we may come to the Lamb of God. No, we have no righteousness in and of ourselves but Christ died for us so that we may have the right to come to God with our lives laid bare before Him. He is the one who cleanses…who heals…who brings peace and rest…who forgives and purifies. It is because of His great love that we are invited to come. Praise God!

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  1 Peter 2:9&10

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17

THANKSGIVING!!!!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give You thanks, for You answered me;    You have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; You are my God, and I will exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Psalm 118

Just As I Am - verses 4&5

Today we look at two verses…

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Again the boiled down message of these verses is “Just as I am Lord, I come”. Whether poor or rich; in confusion or sobriety, in darkness or with clarity - in whatever state we find ourselves, not only may we come to God but we MUST come to Him. When all is well, we come. When circumstances are bleak, we come. And when we come to Him, He receives us… He receives us and He welcomes us. But not only that! He also forgives and purifies us. He gives us rest from that which burdens us. And He does all of this because we have put our faith in Him.

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:2&3a

Just As I Am - verse 3

Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Conflict, doubt, fightings, and fears: all of these exist not only in our environment – among friends and family, at work, at school - but within ourselves.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:1

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”         Romans 7:15

The beautiful thing is that we can come to the Lamb of God in our state of conflict, in our unrest, with our doubts and fears. Just as we are, we may come.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6&7

Just As I Am - verse 2

Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

This second verse of Elliot’s song, again, is rich. The writer realizes that there need not be a delay in coming to the Savior, thinking that we can remove the darkness from our lives. Rather, coming to Jesus just as we are, spots and all, is ok because through His blood, He is able to cleanse us. Praise God for His cleansing!

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Praying in Preparation

“Jesus prayed in preparation; not desperation.” – Pastor Kevin Schwiger

As Pastor Schwiger was teaching on the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. He was relating what was happening in the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed prior to His arrest, trials, and crucifixion. When he made this statement about Jesus praying in preparation rather than desperation, it hit me right between the eyes. YES! Pray in preparation!  We see later, when Christ was on the cross, He was not praying to the Father for deliverance. He had moved on from that prayer. He was prepared for what was happening. Now He was able to pray for forgiveness for those who, in ignorance, sought and were delighted by His death. Jesus was prepared so He was now able to minister to the criminal on the cross next to Him.  He was prepared so He was able to turn His attention to caring for his mother. He was prepared and in a particular moment, He cried out to God as He experienced the separation from God that sin brings. He was prepared for the human thirst He experienced. He was prepared for the completion of the task (“It is finished”). And He was prepared to be with His Father.

Jesus prayed in preparation for what was to come. Although He knew what was to come (the purpose for which He was here) we have no clue regarding what is coming down the line for us.  In light of this, I think we’d do well to imitate Him – to pray for the Lord’s will to be done in our lives and then to meet our future head on.