Advent 2022

Advent… the arrival of something notable. Advent

The arrival of Christ has already happened yet will again. Advent is a season of the church calendar in which we anticipate the coming of Christ. Christ came once and lived a human-type life. He was born, toddled about, learned a trade, and eventually began his teaching and ministry, culminating in rising from the dead and returning to his Father.

He came. His arrival was predicted and fulfilled part of the prophesies.

So we await his coming again as the prophesies indicate his triumph is still to come.

Advent… the arrival that already was, the arrival that will yet be. We look forward to his second coming while rejoicing in Christ’s first coming.

The next season of the church calendar is Epiphany, in which we generally acknowledge the Magi’s visit to Jesus and his family. The word ‘epiphany’ has a Greek root which refers to the manifestation of the supernatural. I find that manifestation is much like ‘arrival of something notable’, or advent. Epiphany is a celebration of the king come now, the presence of God among and, yes, within us.

As I was considering what to offer as a study or celebration of advent this year, I was drawn to the idea of celebrating through the word the the second coming for the victory, first coming for our reconciliation, and the present indwelling to accompany our lives.

I have set out readings for November 27 to January 6 and hope you will join me in reading of God’s pursuit of man in these 40 days. The readings are found in the subscriber free resources. If you haven’t subscribed, please do so below and you’ll be immediately connected to us and find the download in the resources, accessible once signed up.

Advent readings has been a tradition for several years now for me. When I was growing up, we used to sing to ‘wake up’ my parents before we could run to the living room and the tree. (Yet they always had coffee in hand when we ‘woke’ them!) We also had an advent wreath and decorated the house with pine and ribbons and Christmas scenes. What traditions do you have for advent or Christmas? I hope you’ll share below.