Join me in this holy season of waiting and watching, in becoming more aware of our God who lovingly calls us into a quiet, still place of Advent anticipation. Through a series of images and words, we will consider together the invitations of a God who comes near and who lovingly welcomes us unto Himself.
Behold Your King!
"Hail, the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! light and life to all he brings, ris'n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark!...
Traces
"trace noun 1. a mark, object, or other indication of the existence or passing of something." (Oxford Languages Dictionary) On this last Sunday of Advent, today is a perfect day to look backwards for traces. While the excitement of the Christmas celebration entices...
Room
Christmas is fast approaching; are you still making room? As the season presses in, are you still holding space to quietly wait and watch for Christ’s arrival? How might you stay with the anticipation in these last hours of Advent? Pause to imagine yourself out in a...
Shadow and Light
Christmas is a celebration of bright joy and effulgent light. The brilliant star of the arrival of Christ outshines all other lights we can know. How, then, in this season of Advent, do we make sense of the darkness and doubt that lurk all around us, perhaps within...
All Creation
Can stones really cry out? Could mountains actually sing, and trees actually applaud? Does all creation, as it happens, wait with us for Jesus' return? While we go about our daily, weekly, regular rhythms of preparing room for Jesus, is nature doing the same? Living...
Treasured
Do you believe—can you believe?—that you are treasured by God? That He chose you as his treasured possession? The Lord of the universe so rejoices in his love for you that He sings over you with loud shouts of joy. Rest with this image for a moment today: "Sing aloud,...
Near
Where do you go when you want to be with God? What helps you feel He is near? There are numerous ways in which a Christian believer might feel connected with God in any given moment. A most important way is in reading and hearing God's Word. Who God is and how He...
Far
Do you sometimes feel far from God? Does He feel far from you? There have been stretches in my faith journey in which I have not been able to feel God's presence. I knew cognitively that He is always with me and promises never to leave, but my heart did not share that...
Pursued
Receive today these beautiful words about how the God of the universe pursues us with his steadfast love. "I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name.And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you...
Preparations
Imagine you have just discovered that Jesus is indeed arriving at your home today. After recovering from the initial amazement, which preparations would you frantically begin scurrying around to complete? Would you set out to perform a full-on proverbial...
Inviters
So, we've talked about Advent being about waiting & watching and about God's invitation to enter into a greater awareness of Him. You may also recall that I described this season as a time in which we create more space for God; we open ourselves and make ourselves...
Invited
Today is the first Sunday in Advent. This year's season is twenty-two days long, stretching from the fourth Sunday before Christmas until Christmas Eve. Twenty-two days of waiting, of watching, of inward and outward preparation for the arrival of the incarnate Christ....
Anticipate
Modern culture urges us to rush into Christmas, bullying us into decorating and shopping earlier each year. But God invites us instead to walk slowly, savoring each step, as we experience the anticipation of the Advent season. What role might anticipation play in your...