I’m waiting to meet a friend in Barnes and Nobles and writing this as I wait.  I’m early again, but I don’t mind.  This is one of my favorite places.  As I sit waiting, I hear Christmas carols being played over the speaker.  I admit, I love hearing Christmas music– even during Advent!  There’s such a short period of time each year that we play these beautiful songs telling of our Savior’s birth.  All too soon, the world will move on to other things and forget the Spirit of Christmas.

Yet, some would argue that we should wait to play Christmas music.  Wait for the celebrations and, instead, anticipate and prepare for Christ’s coming.  Advent, you see, is a season of waiting.  But, waiting for what?  Hasn’t Christ already come– over 2,000 years ago?  Don’t we proclaim that Christ is with us?  Here?  Now?  Yes, but!  Yes, Christ came.  Yes, Christ is with us.  Yes, Christ brought God’s kingdom here to us, BUT!  In this life we both experience this new life, creation and reconciliation here and now, AND wait in faith and hope for it to be brought to completion in our resurrection.  We live in God’s kingdom, but we do not yet live fully in it.  Although we experience God’s kingdom here and now, it is fragmented; we will not fully experience it until our resurrection into eternal life with God.  So we wait in hope.  The “magic” of the Advent season is that God’s kingdom seems more tangible this time of year.  This is the time of year we experience more hope, love, giving, and thought for neighbors.  Jesus embodied love.  Let us be Jesus to one another today and help make God’s kingdom more visible to those around us.  Let us help prepare the way for Christ to be born again in our hearts and in the hearts of those around us.  Let us pave the way with love.

Read Philippians 2:1-18, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Posted in December 2016 by our friend Annie