The Season of Advent by Jeff Beman

Isaiah 40:30-31
“Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.”

The season of Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, are almost over. Advent is a time for us to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus (more than two thousand years ago), and to contemplate His coming again.

But did you know the Bible does not mention Advent, or Christmas, or even Easter for that matter.
Not until you start looking at the reasons behind these man-made seasons do we start seeing just how full of teaching on Advent the scriptures are. Search for Advent: nothing. BUT search for the meanings of the four Sundays in Advent (ESV) and you find: Hope: 164 times, Peace: 361, Joy: 203, and Love: 684 times!

In just a few days it will be Christmas. We will remember the birth of Jesus after the world waited for thousands of years, and praise God for his gift to us as we continue to wait upon the Lord for his return, always with hope, peace, joy, and love.

Heavenly Father, in that first Christmas, all the waiting and anticipation of thousands of years were fulfilled in the birth of your son. We praise you and thank you. And we wait for Jesus to return. Merry Christmas, God! AMEN