Advent is Upon Us!
Deck the Halls with Joyous Anticipaton that God is with Us and One of Us!
Hey friends, in 2025, this year of our Lord, the Advent season is here!
For some people, December means it is getting frosty. Yet for us Aussies, Kiwis, Africans, and South Americans, it means summer is here!
Ironically, I’m currently in London, but I’ll be heading home Kangaroo side shortly.
Advent is an awesome time of year. Christmas trees, office parties, dinners, family events, and excited children.
Yet Advent is not just a festive countdown to Christmas; it is a season rich with theological meaning and profound spiritual significance for Christians today. Advent matters deeply for the Christian faith and how it invites us to encounter Jesus in fresh and transformative ways.
Advent is when we remember “the Word made flesh” and contemplate it so that “the Word will be made fresh” to us this season.
How so?
First, Advent anchors us firmly in the biblical storyline of God’s redemptive purposes, the story of his grace and gifts to us. The season is a sacred pause that echoes the longing of Israel for the coming of the Messiah - think of the hymn “Come O Come Emmanuel”! A hope awaiting fulfillment that shaped the hopes and prayers of God’s people for centuries. From the prophetic promises of Isaiah and Micah to the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, Advent is steeped in anticipation and expectation. We are compelled to expect good things from God, the God who blesses, the God who is the giver of all good gifts.