Understanding the true joy of the Advent Season

Here we are at that time of year when we start to pull out our advent calendars and countdown to Christmas day. I love my advent calendar, day by day opening those little doors to reveal a gift inside. They are so fun but the other day I began to wonder, is there more to this than opening a window each day and getting a small gift.

Actually, there is. The Advent season is the 4 week period leading up to Christmas and is a beautiful tradition that can be traced back to the 400s. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus meaning ‘arrival’. This is a time to reflect, prepare and celebrate the arrival of Jesus the Messiah, not only at his birth, but also the new life when someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and the anticipation of His return. It is a time to purposely slow down and purposely reflect on the gift God has given us. Each day brings a new fresh expectation of the coming gift of Jesus.

The advent season is traditionally broken down into 4 weeks each with a different scripture and theme to reflect on.

Week  1: Hope and promise

For this week focus on the hope and promise that the birth of Jesus is. What was promised in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New. As we expectantly wait to celebrate his birth, we reflect on the prophecies that his birth fulfilled. A child is born, called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, he will reign on David’s throne, and his kingdom will reign forever more.

Isaiah 9:2

2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Week 2: Preparation, waiting and prophecy

This week focus on the preparation, waiting for the prophecies to be fulfilled. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus, everything was getting ready for the birth of this child in which the glory of the Lord will be revealed.

Isaiah 40:3-5

3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.[b]
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Week 3: Joy and peace

Jesus birth brought joy and peace.  Kings and shepherds, the highest and lowest of classes at that time came to worship this king on his birth. The birth of Jesus brought salvation, joy, life, peace and hope.

Matthew 2:10-11

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Week 4: Love and adoration

It began with God’s love for the world and ended with our love and adoration towards Him. The birth of Jesus was surrounded in love, God so loved you that he sent his Son, Jesus to die for your sins so that you would have eternal life. The expectation of the birth of Jesus began right back in Genesis 3:15, a promise of redemption, a promise of salvation and God loved us so much that he knew only His Son could do it. Our response to this incredible gift of God’s love and Jesus’ life is our praise, love and adoration for all that has been given to us.

John 3:16-19

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

There are many other traditions associated with this season but the biggest takeaway for me is that this is a time to slow down and reflect on who Jesus is and to be thankful that He came to save us.