Preparation is Paramount
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79)
Welcome to Christmas time! It seems, in so many ways, like we were just here. I can’t believe that, in just a month’s time, we’ll welcome in 2018. But first, we need to take some time to really let the wonder of Christmas penetrate our hearts.
To do that, we have to prepare ourselves – spiritually, physically, and emotionally. That’s what Advent is all about. The word “advent” means preparation – it’s the time that we take whatever time is necessary to understand that the Child born in a manger came with a purpose – to reconcile the world with our heavenly Father. The passage at the top of this article tells us about John the Baptist, and how he was born to pave the way – to prepare Israel – for the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.
In many important ways, what John did for Israel is similar to what Advent does for us. We are called to get ourselves ready for the coming of Christ, and the season of Advent helps us to focus on the reality of heaven coming to earth. There are couple of things that we need to do in order to make sure we appreciate the magnitude of this event:
First we need to understand that we need a Savior. Jesus Christ came to this earth for one purpose – to repair the relationship of the creation to the Creator that had been damaged by our sin. Truly, the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (John 4:14). If we don’t understand that we are what brought Christ to earth, then we will never fully appreciate the incredible sacrifice that the birth of Jesus set into motion. Yes, it is a beautiful, wonderful, time of year – the birth of our Savior is to be marked, celebrated, and committed to our hearts. However, in preparation for that, we must remember, and meditate on, the fact that it was our rebellion that necessitated His intervention in history.
Along those lines, as part of understanding that we need a Savior, we should engage in some deliberate self-examination. Let’s spend this time in the run-up to Christmas taking a serious look at ourselves, and our spiritual preparation for the Season. Are we living our lives in a way that both represents a growing, maturing child of God, and that points others to Jesus. Without the Gospel as the centerpiece of our celebration, we lose Christmas to commercialism. So, some healthy introspection is called for, as we prepare ourselves for the greatest gift ever given.
Finally, the best way to make the first two points meaningful and lasting is to spend time in the Word of God. It is here that He speaks, here that He reveals Himself, here that He shows us in ways big and small who He is and how much He loves us. It was His love that brought Jesus to earth, and Jesus’ love that took Him to the cross – all for us. Get on your knees, read His Word, spend time letting it soak into your soul, so that it becomes a part of who you are, not just something you do.
So, as we enter this time of anticipation and celebration, let’s do it the right way. And, I don’t mean getting just the right gift, or cooking just the right foods. I mean preparing our hearts and souls for the true meaning of Christmas – so that, when we think of the birth of Jesus, we see the whole picture, and the true meaning of the Season becomes clear, relevant, and real to each and every one of us. Merry Christmas!
In His Love,
Bro. Heath
