The season leading up to Christmas stands out differently from the rest of the year. As soon as Thanksgiving passes, the atmosphere changes. For many of us, this season conjures sentimental memories made with loved ones and anticipation as we wonder whether Santa will bring us what we asked for. For others, Christmas doesn’t bring fond memories or warm feelings — perhaps it reminds us of our past hurts, our loneliness, or a longing for something that is missing. Many of us experience both perspectives simultaneously. The commercial Christmas does little to give us what we know we actually need.
This year, we invite you to slow down and pay attention to what you experience during this Advent season without skipping ahead to Christmas morning. If we listen closely, we will find that the Living God is trying to get our attention.
What is Advent?
Advent is the season of four weeks leading up to Christmas when we are invited to slow down and consider our longings as we wait with anticipation for God’s light to break forth into the shadows of our lives and world. It is a time for us to pay attention to what we are feeling and experiencing, whether it’s joy, sadness, love, or loneliness. During Advent, we anticipate the presence of the God of grace and truth among us. Christmas isn’t just about a baby that was born 2000 years ago on the other side of the world; it’s about God’s light breaking into the darkness here and now. And Advent is the time to prepare ourselves.
Celebration
We celebrate Advent today by looking back and immersing ourselves in the story of the ancient Israelites who, much like many in our world today, were suffering from injustice and oppression. As we begin to see and hear the ways that those people in the stories cried out for freedom from their oppressors, we will notice that those ancient prayers aren’t all that different from our own. When we immerse ourselves in the story of the arrival of their Savior, we begin to have hope that ours is coming, too. We celebrate by seeing ourselves in this grand story and by recognizing that their longings are also ours. When we let our guard down, the darkness around us is replaced by light. We celebrate that the light of God has come into the world, and the darkness will never overcome it.
Anticipation and Longing
Even as we celebrate the renewing love of God coming into the world on that first Christmas, we also long and wait for Jesus to return to make all things new. During Advent, we practice becoming aware of what we really long for. We long for the time when every tear will be wiped away and every injustice will be made right in our lives and in the world around us when Christ comes again. We commit to reflecting upon our desires and asking questions for which, candidly, we might not really want to know the answers. “Why do I feel like I need more stuff?” or “Why doesn’t Christmas feel the same as it did when I was a kid?” Perhaps feelings of anger or hurt begin to surface and we long for Christmas to be over. We’re invited to step back and consider what we really want and need, and to listen for what God might be saying to us.
Participation
Each of the four weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas will focus on a different theme – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. As we approach Christmas, one way to participate in Advent is to take time to read passages of Scripture that contain these themes and reflect on the thoughts and feelings that come up. Noticing our reactions will help us to name the places where we are longing for hope, peace, joy, and love in our lives.
At Renew, we’ve curated a list of daily scripture passages paired with reflections and practices to empower you to participate in the deeper Advent journey with family, friends, or by yourself. We encourage you to take time to read, reflect, and listen with us as we await the coming of light in our midst. These daily scriptures, reflections, and practices can be found on our blog page, as well as Instagram and Facebook. We hope you’ll join us as we journey through Advent together!