Advent

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight

in the desert a highway

for our God.” Isaiah 40:3

For a number of Christians, the period between this last Sunday and Christmas Day is celebrated and known as Advent. Named from the Latin verb “to come,” it is a time of special observation and preparation for the incarnation of Our Lord into human flesh at Christmas. Not only do we celebrate His coming to us that night as a newborn child in a manger but we also celebrate His coming to us in its entirety: from that night so long ago, to the promise of His return on the Last Day, and His constant presence with us via His Word every day.

In many ways, it is the obverse of our society’s view of this time of year in general. Specifically, while much of the country views this time period as the end of the year culminating at New Year’s Day, we in the church are now beginning the new year as we prayerfully contemplate Our Saviour coming to us.

Additionally, most would agree that this season has become, in recent years, increasingly predicated upon consumerism. Beginning with the freneticism of Black Friday sales, (which have now in some places encroached upon Thanksgiving Day as well), there seems to be more and more focus upon buying. The concomitant deluge of advertisements seems only to add a general cacophony to what, for many people, can be a difficult period of stress, tension and even despondency. Many are beginning to ask; how did it become this way?

In many ways, this season is symptomatic of what has happened in society year round. From the banning of prayer and Jesus’ Name in our schools and public affairs to the point now where Christmas Break has been re-named Winter/Solstice break, public creche scenes are prohibited and we are even dissuaded from saying “Merry Christmas,” the evidence is incontrovertible: deliberately and otherwise, Christ Jesus is being taken out of not only Christmas, but our very society. In this we are finding not only a sense of vacuousness in our culture but additionally far more deleterious effects upon our individual lives.

Yet just as a light shines brightest in a blackened room, so too the true hope and peace found only in Christ Jesus shines undiminished and constant as He calls for us to come back to Him...to know Him.

Instead of effete and ephemeral offers of temporal satisfaction (not unlike a beautifully wrapped but empty box), Jesus offers us not a present but His presence: unconditional forgiveness of sins and life anew, both now and in eternal peace and joy with Him.

The price? His body and blood shed for us, and offered freely to any and all who repent and believe upon Him. Our Father loves us so much that He has given us the greatest gift of all, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.