My Advent journey
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I hadn’t heard of Advent until my freshman year at Milligan. My church history is of the nonliturgical variety. So I never really heard about it growing up. And Advent calendars were not all the rage yet because…well…my growing up years were pre-Amazon and we didn’t have fun and creative calendars like those available today.
I remember people talking about Advent while I was at Milligan. I even attended some Sunday morning worship services that incorporated Advent readings and the lighting of the Advent candle. The first few times I saw the candles? I quietly chuckled to myself.* The whole thing just seemed kind of weird. It was all too…I don’t know…traditional…liturgical…silly. Why would we need to prepare our hearts in anticipation of Christmas Day? We’re supposed to do that every day aren’t we? I mean, every day is Christmas Day for a Believer. Or something like that.
And let’s not get started on other “high church” traditions like Lent or Ash Wednesday.
I didn’t understand.
Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t anti-Advent (or anti-Lent or anti-Ash Wednesday or any other “high church” traditions). I just didn’t understand.
Thanksgiving thru Christmas was just Christmas season to me. No need for preparation. No need for contemplation. Just full-bore Christmas 24/7.
Back when I was preaching, our small church incorporated Advent readings into our worship services, I started to understand. Advent forces us to slow down. It forces us to wait. It forces us to delay the celebration that comes on Christmas Day and connects us with the longing the ancient believers had for a better day. It encourages us to reflect, confess, and repent. It helps us focus on what is important when the whole world is shouting at us to focus on everything else.
We need Advent today.
Small businesses are closing. A pandemic is raging. Political parties are dividing. Countries are on the brink of war. Things feel like they’re spiraling out of control. Because of this, I’m convinced we need Advent now more than ever. For several years now, I’ve had this idea of sharing a series of thoughts focusing on Advent. I’ve put it off for a while. But now is the time.
As we move into this time of Advent – a time of waiting and anticipation, I hope you’ll join me. We’ll hope a little, we’ll love a little, we’ll rejoice a little. And we’ll even have a little peace. Let’s wait, wonder, and worship together as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of the Christ.
Endnotes
* I think it’s worth pointing out that Christy and I went shopping for materials to make an Advent wreath on the day I proposed to her. Irony? Probably not. Just a sidenote worth mentioning.
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