How can it be that Christmas is nearly here? I haven't finished with half of my shopping, and my house feels hopeless. Regardless, Jesus is coming - soon! I mean, we will celebrate His birthday in less than two weeks.
Christmas was always my mother's favorite time of the year. But I've gotten to where Advent almost overshadows Christmas for me. I love this time in the church year. We look for, or even long for, Jesus' second coming. In our church, we sing, "Prepare the royal highway, the King of kings is near!", and "O come, O come Emmanuel, to ransom captive Israel..." Our scripture readings are about the prophecies of Messiah from the Old Testament, and Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom of God and its coming in the New Testament. We prepare to celebrate Christmas, but we also anticipate the time when all of God's people will gather in paradise.
Meanwhile, the busyness of the modern world makes the time fly past. Before we know it, we will be drinking something hot and wishing for the warmer days of spring. Isn't that the way it goes? When I was a kid, I would desperately wish for summer vacation. My grandma used to tell me not to "wish my life away," and I remember wondering how she could possibly understand how I felt. I am the same age now as she was when I was 10-going-on-30. I imagine that our grandchildren feel the same way about me now - "you're old, how can you understand?" And yet I still find myself wishing for some point in the future to be here, or to be over. Advent reminds me that the journey is every bit as important as the destination. Joseph and Mary made the journey through their lives to get to that night in the stable, and every minute of their lives - whether hard or easy - led each of them to be the faithful people they were. They both trusted in God's plan for their lives and ended up raising His Son, who would be the long-promised Messiah.
May every step of your journey bring you just that much closer to spending eternity with our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Blessed Advent to you & yours!
Kay
