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Advent
by Jennifer Talley
The dictionary defines Advent as the following: “an arrival or coming, especially one which is awaited.”
Christmas brings back so many wonderful memories of when my boys were younger. Not that we don’t make memories now, but there is nothing quite as special and magical as Christmas time when children are young and so full of life! Decorating the tree, hiding baby Jesus from the nativity, baking cookies for Santa, wrapping up gifts, and the traditional Christmas pageant at church.
The season of advent, with the Christmas music playing 24/7, just exudes joy, peace, and love! We all revert back to children during the season of Advent.
However, I wonder how Mary felt on her first Christmas? Not knowing what Christmas would feel like and not even understanding the season of what would be called Christmas. No music was playing in the background, no cookies were baking in the oven, and it didn’t smell of cranberry and cinnamon in the stable. A scared and frightened teenage girl with her new husband, and not the father of the baby, traveling on a donkey across the country. Makes my road trips sound like a dream. Mary had faith! I’m going to take this one step earlier… from the angel Gabriel’s perspective. In Max Lucado’s book In The Manger - 25 Inspirational Selections for Advent, he writes a chapter about what the Angel Gabriel thought:
“Gabriel must have scratched his head at this one. He wasn’t one to question his God-given missions. Sending fire and dividing seas were all in an eternity’s work for this angel. When God sent, Gabriel went. And when word got out that God was to become a man, Gabriel was enthused. He could envision this moment:
The Messiah in a blazing chariot.
The King descending on a fiery cloud.
An explosion of light from which the Messiah would emerge.
That’s what he expected. What he never expected, however, was a slip of paper with a Nazarene address. “God will become a baby”’ it read. “Tell the mother to name the child Jesus. And tell her not to be afraid”
Gabriel was never one to question, but this time he had to wonder. God will come as a baby? … The heavens can’t contain him, how could a body? … And what of this name - Jesus? Such a common name. There’s a Jesus in every cul-de-sac.
Come on, even Gabriel had more punch to it than Jesus.
Must be a special girl, he assumed as he traveled. But one peek told him Mary was no queen… she was a jewish peasant who’d barely outgrown her acne and had a crush on a guy named Joe.
For even though he couldn’t answer the questions, he knew who could, and that was enough. And even though we can’t answer them all, taking the time to ask a few could be a good start.”
Gabriel had faith! Never underestimate the power and will of God. His plans are greater than we will ever know. He sent His son as a baby, to live as a human, and to die as our sin-bearer so that we may live in eternity with Him. During this season of Advent, may we all live expectantly and understand that things can come in unexpected ways. May we prepare our hearts as we prepare our homes with decorations, food for our families, and gifts for others. May we live with the submissiveness and faith of Gabriel and Mary.
May God bless you all this season and forever more.
Dear Heavenly Father, may we wait with great expectation knowing, but not fully understanding, your plan for us. You have sent us good news, a baby will come and he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. So, fill us with the obedience that Gabriel and Mary had that first Christmas knowing you are sovereign and dwell in us with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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