As I awaited the birth of my second child, both hope and fear permeated my hormone-driven emotions. Hope, of course, because I couldn't wait to meet the new life growing inside me. My fear hearkened back to the birth of my first child by emergency C-section. The trauma seared a pathway in my brain that overrode logic. To top it off, two weeks overdue, this unborn baby was taking his own sweet time in coming.
Long ago, before Jesus was born, God's people also experienced hope and fear as they waited for Messiah. They had lived in despair for generations, desperately needing a Savior, hoping Messiah would come. Fear often overrode their hope because the wait seemed endless and their oppression crushing.
In hope and fear, the people waited, and watched, for hundreds of years. The prophet wrote, "As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me (Micah 7:7 NLT).
The Bible says that when the time was right, the Light dawned in the darkness of their expectant souls. God's Son, Jesus, humbly born under cover of night in an obscure town, quietly executed His salvation plan. Salvation continues to flow down through generations right into our own lives. That's why we celebrate the season of Advent.
Advent, meaning coming or arrival, spans the four weeks leading up to Christmas. This observance was added to the official Church calendar several centuries after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The primary purpose of this time is to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.
Get your FREE copy of A Thrill of Hope - 25 Days of Advent Devotionals and Readings! Print these and share them with family and friends to keep your mind's attention and heart's affection for Jesus this holiday season.
God—the Master Preparer
Throughout the time of the Old Testament, God prepared. He used events to teach people that they needed a Savior. He sent prophets to give them signs that would signal the way to Messiah, like runway beacons guiding planes safely to the ground. He orchestrated people and events in history to produce the Son of Man, who would fulfill every promise of God.
The New Testament opened with God stepping up His preparation for the advent of Jesus. Just before the birth, God sent John the Baptist to ready the hearts of His people. Even today, God continues to prepare. Jesus assured us He is making a wonderful place for His people in heaven to dwell throughout eternity (John 14:2). Ephesians tells us God prepares us for good works we should do (2:10).
If God sets the example of preparation, shouldn't we also make ourselves ready? Emphatically, yes! In His parable of the ten virgins, Jesus taught about the importance of continual preparation because we do not know the specific time of His return.
Advent—A Time to Prepare
Just as we often clean our homes to prepare for visitors at Christmas, we should prepare our hearts for Christ to reside there. Our Savior deserves a holy, consecrated space.
John the Baptist told people to repent. Advent is a time to meditate on God's Word and ask His Spirit to reveal any area of sin we may be harboring. We also consider the qualities of Jesus and increase our focus and devotion to Him for the Christmas celebration.
Advent Traditions
Do you, like me, often take on Christmas with a calendar in one hand and a to-do list in the other? Let's rearrange our priorities this year by putting down the agenda and setting aside time for the spiritual preparation of Advent.
In Church tradition, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Churches often include a time in their services for the lighting of Advent candles. We can extend this beautiful observance into our family tradition as well.
Each week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we focus on one aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ by meditating on Scripture as we light a candle. You may choose your own verses to read, discuss, and ponder, but I have provided several for each candle lighting. Conclude your time each week with prayer. Continue to pray and meditate throughout the week. You may also include fasting with prayer.
Week 1—Hope
In the first week, we light a purple candle for hope. As desperate people trapped in the bondage of sin, we longed for salvation. God hung a bright star in the sky to highlight the birth of Jesus as the dawn of hope and the promise of redemption from our hopeless state. Now we give thanks for the certainty of our future living in a restored relationship with God.
So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. (Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT)
He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world. (Matthew 12:20-21)
Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin. (Psalm 130:7-8 NLT)
Week 2—Peace
In week two of Advent, we again light the candle for hope and another purple candle for peace. The Bible says that we were God's enemies before we received salvation through Jesus. Jesus, Prince of Peace, came from heaven to earth to strike a peace treaty with humankind through His blood shed on the cross. When we humbled ourselves to receive Christ, God drew us out of enemy territory into His circle of friendship.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NLT)
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:10-11 NLT)
I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27 NLT)
Week 3—Joy
In the third week of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday, worshipers are encouraged to rejoice. Gaudete comes from the Latin word for joy. We light the two previous purple candles and the pink candle. The color lifts the mood of introspection from the prior two weeks to one of outward joy. As followers of Jesus, we rejoice in knowing He is in control and will use all of life's circumstances for the good of His people.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:8-11 NLT)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead[c] or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:9-11)
Week 4—Love
On the final Sunday before Christmas, we bask in the love of God expressed through His Son Jesus as we light the three previous candles plus another purple one. God loves and wants the best for everyone (2 Peter 3:9). Because we received Christ, He accepts us unconditionally and spares us from the punishment we deserve for our sins.
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17 NLT)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. (Romans 8:38 NLT)
Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:5-7 NLT)
The Final Candle—Jesus
Some people light a white candle to celebrate Jesus on Christmas day and place it in the center of the other four. The color symbolizes Christ's purity. Named Lamb of God, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that paid the price required by God's Law for our sins.
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. (1 Peter 1:18-20)
Other Advent Traditions
Many people use Advent devotional books along with Advent candles to prepare their hearts for Christmas. You can find devotionals themed on music, art, and other interests. Others help families with kids of all ages to engage in Advent. Some add crafts and service ideas. Whatever you choose, be sure it includes Bible reading and time for reflection and preparation. For my free Advent devotional, Celebrate Christ, visit my website to subscribe.
Music adds another special element to observing Advent. There are many Christmas and worship songs to choose from, but one of my favorites is "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Its seven verses perfectly describe the longing and expectation we feel during Advent.
Our Longing Today
While the Advent season helps us look back, remember, and celebrate the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem, we also wait for Christ to come in the future.
Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! (Revelation 1:7 NLT)
We do not know exactly when Jesus will return, but events of the past teach us that God keeps His promises. This Advent, remember and celebrate the faithfulness of God to send Jesus as our Savior. Prepare your hearts as you wait expectantly for Him to come again. On that glorious day, we will see with our eyes the hope, peace, joy, and love of God that we receive by faith today.
Additional Advent Resources:
What Is Advent? A Guide for the 2022 Holiday Season
How Do I Prepare My Heart for Advent?
A Thrill of Hope - 25 Advent Devotionals
Annie Yorty writes and speaks to encourage others to perceive God’s person, presence, provision, and purpose in the unexpected twists and turns of life. Married to her high school sweetheart and living in Pennsylvania, she mothers a teen, two adult children (one with intellectual disabilities), and a furry beast labradoodle. She has written From Ignorance to Bliss: God’s Heart Revealed through Down Syndrome, and a devotional, 25 Symbols of Christmas: Finding Jesus. Please connect with her at AnnieYorty.com, Facebook, and Instagram.
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