Advent With Us

ADVENT WITH US

Can you believe it's already December? Maybe it's a "finally" feeling for you and your family as you've long awaited the festive traditions, joyful glee of known songs and cozy nights checking off your Christmas movie list. Perhaps it's a "let's get this over with" feeling, where this Christmas season reminds you of what you'd like to forget. Wherever you are as this season is upon us, may you be overcome with hope. This hope is for you, wherever and whoever you are.

It's the unrelenting love of Jesus.

This morning I decided to pick up my Bible and begin at the beginning. Genesis 1. Sometimes, when we don't know where to start, the beginning is a good idea. I only got through the first 19 verses before my children were gathering in my presence with their anxious questions for the day, noisily packing lunches and grabbing their umbrellas, hurrying me so we weren't late for school. This is what I read:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, 'Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.' And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.' And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.' And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.' And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day."

Our Advent reading began on Monday, November 28. I know, I know. The traditional readings normally begin today, December 1, but there is such a story to tell, we didn't want you to miss it! This Advent reading takes us chronologically backwards through the life of Jesus, including before Jesus was born and after He died and resumes His kingship in heaven. Today's reading, Day 4, is from Ecclesiastes 1. This Old Testament book is so full of angst for value and purpose, to be known and to be secure in a savior.

Were you there in service a few weeks back when one of our missionaries was talking about their new leadership role and the stage lights began to have a party behind him? That's how my brain was this morning while reading through those first 19 verses in Genesis 1 paralleled to our Advent reading. Knowing what I know about my own self in desperate need of a savior, The Savior, it was like more dots (or bright, flashing lights) connected through the Scripture to my soul. To know that from the very beginning of finite time, and all the infinite time prior to, God designed a world for us, not just here on earth but also to dwell with Him in heaven. As He created, He had us in mind- laying the actual foundations of the earth and everything around it and in it, to care for and provide for us. There is no greater love. This love has been unrelenting since before the beginning of time. For you, designed and created in His image, have value in this world. It's miraculously incredible, my friends. And this is just the beginning. Continue to read with us as we see how much more He wants to reveal to us through the life of His son.