It is Advent. No, it is not Christmas. It is the time before Christmas; the time that we prepare to celebrate that Jesus, our Savior, came to us as little child born in a barn. During the season of Advent we remember how Israel waited and watched and prepared themselves for the Messiah. He came humbly to us and he died a horrible death on the cross at the hands of the very people who had waited so long for him to come. In these weeks before Christmas we hear John the Baptist call us to repentance; to turn around and worship the one true God; to recognize that Jesus is the only one who can save us.
Jesus came to us as a little child. During the Advent season we focus not just on his coming as that little child; but, the promise that he will come again in great glory. Hopefully, we are preparing for that day. Scripture would remind us that it will be a joyous day for his elect and definitely not so joyous for those who have rejected him; turning their backs to him, to worship other gods. I know... I have heard it before. "But, I don't have any other gods!" The truth is we all worship something. We all have something that is our ultimate concern. Each Advent season I look around and I grieve as I recognize that most often that ultimate concern is ourselves. We want our backs patted and our bank accounts padded. The Advent season for many is more about making themselves the center rather than making Jesus the center; the reason for the season. We can fake it all we want. We might be able to deceive some of the people all of the time. But, God know our motivations. He knows whom we love. He knows whom we worship. He knows what our ultimate concern is.
I pray that you are preparing your heart for the day when he will return to gather his elect. Please remember that Jesus is the reason. It's not about me. It's not about you. It is about the greatest gift that was ever given to humankind, Jesus the Christ, our Saviour and our Lord.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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