Notes of Faith December 20, 2023
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). — Matthew 1:22–23
Advent is about waiting, anticipating, yearning. Advent is the question, the pleading, and Christmas is the answer to that question, the response to the howl. There are moments in this season when I don’t feel a lot like Christmas, but I do feel like Advent.
Advent gives us another option beyond false Christmas cheer or Scrooge. Advent says the Baby is coming, but He isn’t here yet, that Hope is on its way, but the yearning is still very real.
Advent allows us to tell the truth about what we’re grieving, without giving up on the gorgeous and extravagant promise of Christmas, the Baby on His way.
God fulfilled so many promises when Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem.
Consider Advent a less flashy but still very beautiful way of being present in this season. Give up your false and failing attempts at merriment, and thank God for a season that understands longing and loneliness and long nights. Let yourself fall open to Advent, to anticipation, to the belief that what is empty will be filled, what is broken will be repaired, and what is lost can always be found, no matter how many times it’s been lost.
God fulfilled so many promises when Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem. Dare to hope and trust that He will fulfill His promises to you as well.
Excerpted from Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are by Shauna Niequist, copyright Zondervan.
He’s almost here! Jesus, the One who makes the world right. Even now, if we would believe in Him and follow Him in obedience to God, our world would surrender its evil practices and painful lies and we would live surrounded by love! Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming! Jesus is here! Let Him come and live in your heart!
Pastor Dale