Advent: Week 1 devotion

There's nothing greater to me than the Christmas season. I love it. I know that some folks have a hard time with Christmas because of the number of bad experiences with previous Christmases. For instance, one of my idols Steve Brown, has a rough time because of an alcoholic father. Others experience the loss of loved ones for the first time, and I can only imagine how hard that is. 

I guess that's why I appreciate advent so much. It's more than just Christmas.

Advent is a celebration and thanksgiving for what Jesus has already done, and yet a longing for him to finish the work He started. It's a time of thankfulness. It's a time of hopeful petition: the very nature of petitions is that you need something!

Advent marks a mixture of celebration, the kind of which John the Baptist experienced in the womb of Elizabeth (Luke 1:44). And its a time of longing, like John must have experienced in prison, when he wondered, "What's the deal with this Messiah?"(Matthew 11:2-3). Jesus responded to him, "I've done enough now that you can wait and trust me to finish it later.

Advent helps us capture and couch our emotions and center them around Christ. I hope our joy would be more robust and grounded, while our longings bust forth more honest and hopeful. Can you tell I'm a advent fan?

Here is a link to week 1's devotions. It comes with 6 daily devotions and one family devotion. Hope you enjoy them.