Thursday, December 07, 2006
Week 5: Advent Season
The word 'advent' is Latin for 'a coming or arrival'. The idea behind it is that God came to earthly life and lived among us. It is something to celebrate, rejoice, because just by being in it, God was giving the supreme blessing to the created world.
As you know, Advent has already started this week. But what exactly is Advent? So, this week our gathering is about learning what advent is, and what Advent and Christmas means to each one of us. We also played an interesting game which uh, we had a crackalacking time singing and stuffs.. it was a fun night indeed.
Advent is a season of Preparation.
God loved and wanted to share that love. However, this existence is not fit for a God. It is too broken, evil, painful, and unjust. Therefore, to rescue the created world from this evil, God chose to come here and walk the earth, to grow up, to live the truth, and to die.
Advent, is also a season for Joy.
God wants to open our eyes to the glory of Jesus' birth. His desire is that on Christmas Day, (above all the other joys of family gatherings and the giving of gifts) we will experience the joy that comes from knowing that God gave up his only Son not to condemn us but to bring us eternal life. (John 3.16) (Isn't God wonderful?)
The primary sanctuary colour of Advent is Purple. This is the colour of penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King.
Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. Advent's prayers are of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9). The spirit of advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom's expected coming. Yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. Even then, the prayer of Advent is still:
As you know, Advent has already started this week. But what exactly is Advent? So, this week our gathering is about learning what advent is, and what Advent and Christmas means to each one of us. We also played an interesting game which uh, we had a crackalacking time singing and stuffs.. it was a fun night indeed.
Advent is a season of Preparation.
God loved and wanted to share that love. However, this existence is not fit for a God. It is too broken, evil, painful, and unjust. Therefore, to rescue the created world from this evil, God chose to come here and walk the earth, to grow up, to live the truth, and to die.
Advent, is also a season for Joy.
God wants to open our eyes to the glory of Jesus' birth. His desire is that on Christmas Day, (above all the other joys of family gatherings and the giving of gifts) we will experience the joy that comes from knowing that God gave up his only Son not to condemn us but to bring us eternal life. (John 3.16) (Isn't God wonderful?)
The primary sanctuary colour of Advent is Purple. This is the colour of penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King.
Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. Advent's prayers are of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9). The spirit of advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom's expected coming. Yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. Even then, the prayer of Advent is still:
Come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel!
An advent Reflection
It is truly humbling experience to read back through the Old testament and see how frail and imperfect all the "heroes" actually are. Abraham, the coward who can't believe the promise, Jacob, the cheat who struggles with everybody. Joseph, the immature and arrogant teen. Moses, the impatient murderer who can't wait for God. Gideon, the cowardly Baal-worshipper. Samson, the womanizing drunk. David, the power-abusing adulterer. Solomon, the unwise wise man. Hezekiah, the reforming king who could not quite go far enough. Finally, a very young Jewish girl from a small village in a remote corner of a great empire.
It never ceases to amaze me why God could not have chosen "better" people to do His work in the world. Yet if God can use them, and reveal Himself through them in such marvelous ways, it means that He might be able to use ME, Inadequate, and unwise, and too often lacking in faith that I am. And it means that I need to be careful that i do not in my own self-righteousness put limits on what God can do with the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of circumstances.
This is part of the the wonder of the Advent Season.
*above article and prayer is taken from various sources from the Internet.
So what does Advent means to you?
How are you going to prepare yourself for Christmas?
and ransom captive Israel!
An advent Reflection
It is truly humbling experience to read back through the Old testament and see how frail and imperfect all the "heroes" actually are. Abraham, the coward who can't believe the promise, Jacob, the cheat who struggles with everybody. Joseph, the immature and arrogant teen. Moses, the impatient murderer who can't wait for God. Gideon, the cowardly Baal-worshipper. Samson, the womanizing drunk. David, the power-abusing adulterer. Solomon, the unwise wise man. Hezekiah, the reforming king who could not quite go far enough. Finally, a very young Jewish girl from a small village in a remote corner of a great empire.
It never ceases to amaze me why God could not have chosen "better" people to do His work in the world. Yet if God can use them, and reveal Himself through them in such marvelous ways, it means that He might be able to use ME, Inadequate, and unwise, and too often lacking in faith that I am. And it means that I need to be careful that i do not in my own self-righteousness put limits on what God can do with the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of circumstances.
This is part of the the wonder of the Advent Season.
*above article and prayer is taken from various sources from the Internet.
So what does Advent means to you?
How are you going to prepare yourself for Christmas?
Comments:
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I don't know much about Advent, as I used to think it is just about preparation for Christmas. In church, I could only remember the priest lighted the candle on advent wreath each week. But now, it is so much different. Advent means...the Begining. Alpha.
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