Advent Starts Today

About 6 years ago, I was introduced to Advent. Sure, I had seen an advent wreath as a boy growing up around the church but I never really understood the meaning behind it.

Advent means the Lord’s coming. Throughout church history, the celebration of Advent spanned the four Sundays leading up to Christmas in which we look back to the OT in order to relive the anticipation for a deliverer. Why? To stir afresh a heart of gratitude for the blessings received in Jesus. It calls to mind the longings in our heart before we were brought to Jesus to find deliverance from sin.

There is another reason to celebrate advent. We, like Israel in the OT, await the Lord’s coming. All is not right. There are many things still left undone and we await the Lord’s return to set things in order and for righteousness to reign.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:20-21)

Presently in my home, we celebrate advent with an Advent wreath and calendar. Each day, the kids open up a neatly folded slip of paper in one of the 25 pouches of the calendar to read a passage of Scripture and attach a symbolic ornament. Each week, we light an additional candle on the wreath until the the Christ candle is light on Christmas Eve (5 candles total). We usually light the candle during dinner time and then read an Advent story, poem, or Scripture.

If you have younger kids at home, I highly recommend these Advent story books:

Jotham's Journey or Barththolomew's Passage, both of them by Arnold Ytreeide

Advent Poems that I've found to be breathtaking are by John Piper. I can't say enough good things about them especially one called "The Innkeeper."

Here's the link: www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Poems/ByDate/