First day of Avent

Today marks the first day of Advent. Advent is a word I grew up hearing a lot as a child because to me it meant chocolate. I got an advent calendar every year and got to eat that little mystery shaped chocolate behind the door every day. Not until this year did the word advent have more depth to me.

Advent is a world that means "coming" or "arrival." In the 4 weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas we celebrate both the season of the arrival of Jesus Christ in a manger 2000 years ago, as well as the coming of Christ again. It is two fold celebration for us as Christians because we celebrate not only what has happened already but also the coming of the Lord again. As we wait expectantly for the second coming we are reminded of what it was like for the Hebrews as they waited for the prophecy to be fulfilled in the Messiah, Christ's birth.

Traditionally, there is an advent wreath that contains 4 candles. Originally 3 of these candles are purple to represent the royalty of Christ, and the 4th is pink which represents joy. Today, being the first week of advent, you light the first candle, which represents hope. We start the celebration of advent being reminded of the hope we have in Our Savior because He already came and died for our sins so we can spend eternity with Him, as well as hope that He will return again for us.

I pray this Christmas season we could really dig into the spirit of advent, preparing not just for Christmas as a time of food, family, and presents, but to remember that this is when our lives changed forever. This time reminds us of the day God allowed a sinful, fleshly body to labor a divine child. This event marked a day of hope and deliverance, as well as confirmed confidence in a God who keeps His promises, even if it means coming Himself in flesh.

Miqweh Yisrael, you are our God of hope and in you we find confidence that we have been redeemed. I thank you for the season that we get to reflect and rejoice remembering the coming of your son, Jesus. Immanuel, I pray you would invade our hearts and press into us reminding us of the sacrifice you gave to assure us hope in you. Thank you for being our Savior. Thank you for coming in the flesh, so we could be saved by your grace. We wait for you Lord, with open and expectant hearts knowing your timing is perfect. May we be filled with more of you this Christmas season and may we grow deeper spiritually than we ever have before. We love you so much. In your precious Name, Amen.

Titus 2:13
"We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ"

I love you girls!
N