Today marks the beginning of the Advent season in the Western Church calendar. If you’re like me and grew up in a contemporary Protestant church that didn’t celebrate traditional Christian holidays apart from Christmas and Easter, you might need a definition of Advent. According to Dennis Bratcher:
“The word Advent means ‘coming’ or ‘arrival.’ The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.”
I grew up with a family tradition that is common in many families-the Advent calendar. Even though my family did not celebrate the Advent season in a religious sense, every year my sister and I would eagerly await the moment that we could take a new piece of chocolate from the Advent calendar. To me, “Advent” meant an exciting treat and a special moment to share with family each day before Christmas.
Now, as an adult, I want to recapture that childhood feeling of excited anticipation and direct it toward the One who is the true reason for the Advent season. Just as I couldn’t wait to see which shape of chocolate was waiting to be discovered as a child, I now long for each day’s revelation of how Jesus will work anew in my life. I look forward to the finale of the Church’s Advent season as our King returns to reign in the flesh.
As we wait for the excitement of celebrating our Lord’s birth, let us also join with the Apostle John in anticipating His return. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
Did you celebrate Advent as a child? How will you remind yourself of the true reason for the Christmas season this year?
“Look up into the sky and see the clouds high above you. If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on Him? If you are good, is this some great gift to Him? What could you possibly give Him? No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds affect only other people. . . . God is mighty, yet He does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.” ~Job 35:5-8, 36:5
A few years ago, as I was reading through the book of Job, these verses stood out to me. When I first read the beginning, I misinterpreted the direction Elihu, the speaker of these verses, was heading. Guilt washed over me as I imagined how hurt God must be by my sinfulness. I thought of the phrase I had often heard in youth groups, that every time I sinned, it was like nailing Jesus to the cross again.
Then I read on . . . What a revelation! Even if I were good, what gain does that give Him? He is entirely self-sufficient. He needs nothing from me, and when I sin, it does not diminish Him in the same way it diminishes us when we hurt one another.
He is so big, so mighty, all-powerful, all-sufficient just as He is, needing nothing from me or from you, and yet, Elihu goes on to say, He does not despise anyone! He has understanding and compassion toward us. He does want relationship with us, and He considers us worth pursuing.
This understanding of the self-sufficiency of God was a freeing revelation for me. It allowed me to come before Him with all of my emotions, with guilt, with joy, with pain, and with passion and know that He was not affected by my emotions in the same way people might be affected.
I’m sure we’ve all experienced the messiness of emotions in human relationships. If a son or daughter comes to you with sin, guilt, and shame, it takes a strong, godly parent to quickly forgive and love. More often, it is tempting to feel diminished by our child’s failure, to feel that we failed them in parenting and that their failure is a painful reminder of our own shortcomings. Self-blame and fear of our own guilt and failure often lead us to treat those we love with anger and hostility when we are confronted with their sin.
Likewise, even our joy and passion can be offensive to people in our lives. When a friend is mourning or feeling depressed about their own life choices, our joy and success can be cause for jealousy and anger. We can feel guilty for overwhelming others even with our happiness.
We are so used to toeing the line in human relationships and feeling that if we make a mistake, we are causing deep pain. All of this fear and ugliness in human relationships can make us wary of offering ourselves to one another. We hide behind masks, distance ourselves, and never try to give more than we know will be received.
Praise be to God that He is beyond all of that! He is not changed by our good or our bad. He loves us because He is love, not because we have earned anything! Of course, we know that He hates our sin, but it is not a hatred that comes from fear. Everything He feels for us is driven by love, even His expectations of holiness.
Take some time today to thank God for knowing and loving you. Thank Him for being both mighty and understanding. Be honest with Him as you pour out your heart, both the good and the bad, knowing that He can handle all of your emotions with love.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
In the past, I have often found myself frantically trying to search out God’s will for my life. As important decisions come up in life, it is all too easy to get stuck in the details. Does God want me to take this job or that job? Does God want me to go to this school or that school? When should I get married and start a family?
These are all important life decisions, and I believe that God will give us wisdom to make good decisions. However, in our obsession with details, it is tempting to forget the big picture. No matter what circumstances are occurring in our lives, it is God’s will for us to be joyful, to pray, and to give thanks. Whether things are going well and our plans are falling together or whether we are confused about life and feel like every plan we make is frustrated, we still know God’s will for our lives. Be joyful, pray, and give thanks.
This Thanksgiving holiday, whatever your circumstances may be, try applying these three things to your life. If you are able to be with family and friends, be joyful, pray, and give thanks for what you have. If you are lonely and discouraged by life’s circumstances this holiday season, remember God’s unfailing love for you and His ultimate plan for your life. His desire is that all of us would be saved from our sins and know Him personally and intimately. Even if life looks nothing like you want it to, rest assured that God sees you, knows you, and loves you. His presence is the greatest gift we could ever receive, and it is reason enough to be joyful and give thanks, no matter how tough things get. If you find that difficult to wrap your mind around, pray that God would help you receive the truth of His love today. I also join with all who read this posting today and ask God to give you a revelation of His nearness.
May you be encouraged and reminded of all that He has done in your life as you watch this video version of “Give Thanks”:
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