Waiting. Approaching this month known to most of the world as Christmas, there is great expectancy (gifts, family gatherings, festivities, lights and glitz). For months, even days we anticipate this favored traditional holiday – Christmas.
I’ve been pondering the word “Advent” lately. Advent is a Latin word that means “coming”. Reminiscing on the first coming of Christ as a baby, while also preparing for the Christ’s second coming when He is “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). This holiday season we fight materialism and busyness amidst the stress, yet long to have a peaceful, quiet heart. Advent is an opportunity to day by day prepare our heart and lives for the coming Savior. Here are a few thoughts to ponder on the powerful meaning of Christmas and “waiting”.
The plan of salvation did not start with the birth of a tiny baby in the lowliest of places. The preincarnate Christ was present before the beginning. The history of the Old Testament sets the stage for this babe born at Christmas who would perform the work of salvation for us on the Cross. -Dean Lambert. Preface of The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for children and adults to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.
The Advent Season is a Season of Waiting, but our whole life is an Advent season, that is, a season of waiting for the last Advent, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth…Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting -that is, of hopefully doing without-will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment…For the greatest, most profound , tenderest things in the world, we must wait. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer. God is in the Manger: Reflections of Advent and Christmas.
Below is a copy of our ministry prayer card. Free to download and print a copy to hang on your fridge, or please contact us if you would like a print mailed to you. You can click this link to download a high resolution copy of the image.
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