Preparing Advent

November 17th, 2017 Posted in writing

As the stores and malls blare out Christmas songs, Santa sits enthroned just off the food court amid giant stars and candy canes. With all that and more, is it any wonder that many of us forget there are four weeks of Advent before Christmas itself arrives?

In those four weeks before Christmas, Christians can ask, “What am I (what are we) waiting for?”  Where could we use a little more Jesus?  Where could we use a lot more Jesus? Where could we use more faith, more hope, more love, more patience? If we can identify what we are waiting for, we have a better chance of receiving it and appreciating it.

But the question “What am I (what are we) waiting for?” can also prod us to get active. It’s like saying, “Get a move on. Clear away the obstacles to the things you want. Make room for them in your decisions and attitudes. Stop sitting back, waiting for them to drop into your lap on December 25. Go ahead! What are you waiting for anyway?”

Before Advent begins, let’s think about which understanding fits us better this year, so that when Advent does begin in a couple of weeks we will have consciously prepared for it and, at the same time, for the Christmas season following.

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