Over the past couple of weeks I have been thinking a lot about Advent...
Here's a song we've really enjoyed listening to: "Celebrate The Day"
The meaning of the word Advent is "expectant waiting and preparation for something marvelous". So, during Advent season, we are celebrating and remembering the thousands of years that the world waited between the fall of Adam and the coming of Christ. As believers, we rejoice in the knowledge that the King has come to earth and given us the opportunity to live our lives with and for Him. What a glorious season this really is!
Since this will be our first time away from a country that celebrates Advent and Christmas as a major holiday, the meaning of this season and the meaning of Christmas has hit us in a new way.
During this time of year in our home country, the song "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" rings through the air. People are decorating, shopping, baking, giving out cards and going to Christmas parties every weekend. Churches and believers are celebrating and remembering the mercy of our Father by His provision of Christ. Children are thinking of toys, getting out of school, dressing up in plays and watching all the traditional and latest Christmas shows, stories and movies.
Yet in this country, most are amiss of the blessing that was received on that night so long ago. Most of the people here are just trying to survive the cold without power or house heaters. Christmas simply isn't a part of people's world here. Most have heard about Santa Claus, and may have watched some TV show about how a fictitious Santa makes it around the world to deliver presents. Most people here believe that Christmas is a worship festival of Santa Claus, very similar to many of their festivals.
So very few truly know the reason for the season. They haven't heard or don't understand that a loving God would fulfill many prophecies by sending His Son to earth to save us all from death and sin. They don't understand that we celebrate this season because God the Father sent Christ the Son to be born on earth so that He could die, be resurrected and give us the opportunity to pray for Him to save our lives! Oh what a glorious season and reason to celebrate!
Yet the people here are still waiting. They are waiting on a Savior. They are waiting on hope. They are waiting for true, real, peace. They are waiting on something, Someone who can save them from a ruthless dictator (satan, the king of this world) who has captured their minds and has many in this land enslaved. They are still in the Advent season, waiting for the King.
As you spend time this Advent and Christmas, I challenge you to pray for those who have yet to know or hear of our Lord and Savior. Think of all of those who are still in Advent, waiting for the Savior of the world, and ask our Father once again to make Himself known in the hearts of the people around the world. As we celebrate, lets pray that the "great tidings of great joy" will be true for all mankind.
