| advent | |
| noun | |
| 1. | arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous); |
| 2. | the season including the four Sundays preceding Christmas |
| 3. | (Christian theology) the reappearance of Jesus as judge for the Last Judgment [syn: Second Coming] |
Advent season is upon us. To be honest, I haven’t given a lot of thought to Advent in the past. Growing up I remember different families in the church lighting a candle each Sunday as we got closer to Christmas, however, I never really understood the significance.
This year (and every year from now on) is going to be different. I am determined to put my focus as well as the focus of my family on Christ during this season as much as it is up to me. I just bought Trevor a gift the other day, a book he saw, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promisee of Christmas” a collection of work edited by Nancy Guthrie. The book is an anthology of Advent readings to remind us of the riches of Christ come to earth.
Although not quite yet suitable for Family Worship, I can’t wait until it is. Trevor and I also decided to find out some information about each of the author’s so we can one day share with our boys (and maybe a girl someday) a little about the writers. We both picked three authors to research and write a little blurb about. I’ll happily share what I find on this blog. I am going to find out about Joseph “Skip” Ryan, Joni Eareckson Tada, and St. Augustine.
It’s hard to imagine the time before Christ came to earth when God was silent for a long while. That first Advent was 400 years! The rejoicing of God come to earth as man must have been incredible! I don’t want to forget this Christmas season how important and joyous of an occasion it was when God brought Jesus Christ into the world, for that was only the beginning.
O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds, and enlarge my mind; letme hear good tidings of great joy, and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose, my eyes uplifted to a reonciled Father; place me with ox, ass, camel, goat, to look with them upon my Redeemer’s face, and in him account myself delievered from sin; let me clasp the new-born child for my heart, embrace him with undying faith, exuluting that he is mine and I am his. In him thou has given me so much that heaven can give no more.
-The Valley of the Vison
Elizabeth holloway's Blog 