Saturday, December 15, 2007

Ready?

I LOVE this time of year, for about a million reasons. Those who know me well know how crazy I am about snow and winter in New England. I love it, all 6 months of it! But I'm not talking about winter...I'm talking about Advent.

Growing up, Advent was always a special time in our family, when we would light the candles and read part of the Christmas story--my dad would always talk about how "the Light of the World is coming!" and we would pray that "our hearts would be ready". It confused me a little because I thought, "didn't He already come? Isn't that why we celebrate His birth?"

As I have grown older, both in age and in faith, I've realized that we not only celebrate His birth, but we also anxiously await the day when He will come again (Advent comes from the Latin word for "arrival"). It has become one of the most special times of the year for me, because it is a time when the rest of the world is, well, going crazy, and I have the opportunity to step back from that and reflect on what this event means in my life as a Christ-follower. Have you ever really thought about it? GOD became a BABY. Like the song says, He humbly came to the earth HE created, all for love's sake. The Word became flesh and MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US.

I just finished an amazing study on the Old Testament tabernacle--God's original dwelling place with man. I learned so much about the orginial plans of the tabernacle, how each element was symbolic and intentional (if you've never read about Aaron's "priestly garments", read Exodus 28--that must have been an interesting look...), all so that there would be a proper dwelling place for God. But NOW, through Christ, WE are the dwelling place of God. All because the Word became flesh.

This is a big deal. And now I understand my dad's prayer that our hearts would be ready for His coming--it has become my prayer, because I WANT to be ready. The presence of God means the FULLNESS of God, and I want that in me. I want Him changing me, growing me, compelling me, inspiring me, even convicting me. And if we ever want Him to work through us to change this world for His Glory, we have to be ready as living, breathing, walking-around tabernacles of God.

So, are you ready?

1 comment:

Steve said...

we did Advent at our church this year...for the majority of the church including me, it was the first time ever, as Advent has traditionally not been a very Southern Baptist thing to do...the church LOVED it, and is already looking forward to December '08!