Advent

I love advent. I relate to advent, in fact we all can, not just because of our Savior's birth at the end of advent but because of the anticipation, waiting, and hope that is a part of advent. No other holiday seems to focus on waiting as much as Christmas...from the purely secular reasons (waiting for presents), to waiting for our Savior,  to waiting for family or even waiting for a new year. (I also think that its very fitting a new year comes after waiting for Christmas).

Through church advent wreaths or devotionals or even calendars with candy inside, each day, we are a little close to Jesus coming, each day, more hope. I love that. I love that while in our lives, waiting for the perfect job, spouse, children may seem futile at times, waiting on the Lord-- for his birth, arrival, and provisions (even if not in the way we anticipate) is not futile. Where waiting can seem stressful and painful in our daily circumstances (just ask my sister who carried a baby to almost 42 weeks), waiting at Christmas is hopeful and reminds us that waiting is an essential part of worship.  Last year I used Christmas as a time not only to celebrate Christ's birth (and eventual saving of His people), but also to celebrate how the Lord uses waiting to bring about His purposes- both on earth and eternally.  I plan on focusing on waiting this Christmas also, and I will share some of the articles and verses I find on advent.

Check out this article on Celebrating the Waiting.

My favorite line from the article: Advent is a proclamation of the Gospel through the discipline of waiting.