This year, November 27 marked the beginning of the Advent season.
The word, “Advent” simply means “coming”. The Old Testament saints were awaiting the advent (the coming) of the Messiah, the Promised Savior and King, Jesus Christ. They waited and waited and waited. And well, He came! After thousands of years of waiting, He kept His promise and He came. But not in the way they had expected.
He came by being born in a little town called Bethlehem in Judea some 2000 years ago. He lived, loved, and served even in His death on the cross. Then He rose again and 40 days later ascended back into Heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of His Father.
But before He left, He promised that He would come again; that He would have a second advent/coming. And when He comes again He will finally finish what He started and will complete what He began in His first advent so many years ago.
So, every year in the days leading up Christmas Day, we celebrate both comings/advents. We look back and we look forward. We live now in the “already-not-yet” between Christ’s first coming and His final coming. Advent is a season of hopeful expectation, but an expectation mixed with sorrow and intense longing for the day when Christ returns and does away with all in evil in this world once and for all.
The following resources could be of help to you in your personal and/or family devotions during this Advent season:
- Advent Devotional Guides from Desiring God
- Advent Books and Devotional Guides from Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore
- Adorenaments (Designed for younger kids, this beautifully teaches and explains some of the different titles given to Jesus, with an ornament to go along with each.)
As you walk through these weeks before Christmas, we pray that the ever-stronger cry of your heart will be, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).