First Sunday of Advent ~ Hope and Prophecy

Romans 15:4

“For whatsoever things were written in times past, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Commemorating Advent wasn’t something my family did as I grew up—we were not much of a church-going family, even at Christmas. Even though my husband and I raised our girls in a Christ-centered home, we didn’t start the Advent traditions with them, and it wasn’t until later in life that I came to appreciate the meaning behind the Advent season. Now, each year as the season approaches, my heart fills with joy and anticipation for the first day.

The word “Advent” means “coming,” a time of preparation, reflection, and anticipation of the coming of Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s birth and His promised second coming:

• The Wreath: represents the unending love of God
• The Evergreens: hope of eternal life
• The Four Candles: represent the four weeks until Christmas Day
• The Fifth Candle: represents Christ’s coming on Christmas Day

Tradition holds that it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day—the one nearest to November 30—and that one of the five candles is to be lit after reading a passage of scripture that corresponds to that particular week. There are three purple candles, one pink, and the central white candle, the “Christ Candle,” is lit on Christmas Day.

Today’s candle is purple and is called the “Candle of Hope” or the “Prophecy Candle,” symbolizing the hope that came with the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the expectation and anticipation of the Messiah’s coming again. Every night, the candle of the week is lit, which we typically do at dinnertime. On each successive Sunday, the one for that week is lit, as well as the previous week’s candle.

And so, let us prepare! Prepare for His coming, this Christ of Hope! In Isaac Watts’ well-known hymn, “Joy to the World,” the words “Let every heart prepare Him room” take on even greater significance as we begin Advent. How shall you prepare?

Lord, as we enter this beautiful Advent season, prepare our hearts to focus on the central message of the season—Jesus—and the Hope that is found in Him alone. He came as a baby, lived among us, and then willingly died on the cross so that we would have eternal life. Shine Your light on our hearts, O God, to reveal anything that separates us from You or anything that might ruin our preparations. Thank you, Father, for Jesus, Who is our Hope.

As a devoted Christ-follower, Marsha has walked this twisting, winding, bumpy road called life, giving her many opportunities to serve Him. At this point in her life, she has a great sense of urgency to share the love of Christ with men and women from all walks of life through the written word.  She has been married for 56 years and is the mother of two married daughters and grandmother of four.

 You can contact her through her Devotions For All Reasons Facebook page, the website of the same name, as well as: Tea For All Reasons, Food For All Reasons (both shared with her daughter, Jen) and England For All Reasons, shared with her husband, Jake