This is the second week of celebrating Advent for this year. The word, “Advent” simply means “coming”. The Old Testament saints were awaiting the advent (the coming) of the Messiah, the Promised Savior and King, Jesus Christ. They waited and waited and waited. And well, He came. After thousands of years of waiting, He kept His promise and He came.
He came by being born in a little town called Bethlehem in Judea some 2000 years ago. He lived, loved, and served even in His death on the cross. Then He rose again and 40 days later ascended back into Heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of His Father.
But before He left, He promised that He would come again; that He would have a second advent/coming. And when He comes again He will finally finish what He started and will complete what He began in His first advent so many years ago.
So, every year in the days leading up Christmas Day, we celebrate both comings/advents. We look back and we look forward. We both remember and we anticipate. We rejoice and we hope. And we have a confident and joyful expectation that He will come again in His second advent, because He so faithfully and wonderfully kept His promise to come in His first advent.
And in this first advent, He changed everything! This advent and Christmas season, may you look back with faith, joyfully thanking Jesus for His entire life (from conception to ascension), and may you look forward with hope, longing for the culmination of the Kingdom of God where there is everlasting peace for all men on earth!
