home Presbyterian church in Kelso, USA. I do not have any memories of
an Advent wreath, of lighting Advent candles, or of hearing any mention
of the word 'Advent' and all that it signified. But it might have been be-
cause I was a kid (believe it or not, I was a kid once) and it just did not
connect with me. But what I enjoyed was the Christmas season, which in
my book started in late November and went to a few days after Christ-
mas. I have many fond memories of singing Christmas carols, receiving
and giving Christmas gifts, attending Christmas parties, and decorating
Christmas trees. Christmas was by far my favorite season of the year.
But I don't remember anything about Advent.
Even though Christmas is still my favorite season of the year, there
have been some changes in my views. I now view Christmas as the
twelve days between Christmas Day and the sixth of January. It has
a special place in my heart because it is an opportunity to focus less
on Christmas activities (as important and fun as those are) and more
on celebrating Jesus and why he came into the world so very long ago.
I take more seriously the good saying that Jesus is the reason for the
season. I love to re-read the Old Testament stories of God's people
yearning for God to come among them and bless them with the divine
presence. Through the Old Testament prophets, kings, and priests
God promised that God would come to Israel, forgive their sins, and
dwell with them forever. The people of ancient Israel yearned for this
to happen.
I can't prove it, but I believe that we humans have two basic needs that
only God can satisfy. The first is our deep desire for God to come to us
with God's unrelenting redeeming love for us. Even more than we need
the love of our mothers, I believe that we need God and God's love in
our lives. We all yearn for God to come to us because God created us
for an intimate relationship with the Lord God. The second basic need
is connected to the first: we all have the need to receive God's forgive-
ness of our sins. That is the very heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Intimate communion with God is established only by God's forgive-
ness of our sins.
I see three advents, or three comings, of Jesus Christ. Jesus' first com-
ing was when he was born in a manger in Bethlemen on that first Christ-
mas Day. The second refers to the Second Coming of Christ when Jesus
returns to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords at the end of time.
I also have come to recognize a third coming of Jesus when a person in-
vites Jesus into his or her life. I encourage you during this special season
of Advent to remember Christ's first coming on Christmas Day, to look
forward to Jesus' coming again in the future, and to invite him to come
into your life or to invite him back once again.
I offer this prayer to help us prepare for the coming of Jesus into our
world:
Calm us to wait for the gift of Christ;
Cleanse us to prepare the way for Christ;
Teach us to contemplate the wonder of Christ;
Touch us to know the presence of Christ;
Anoint us to bear the life of Christ.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
This week I have faced three challenges. First, since late last week all
of Britain has been hit by severe winter weather which has included
arctic temperatures and significant accumulation of snow. Things still
have not gotten back to normal. Second, I experienced the joy of a hard
drive failure on my laptop last Monday. It had been out of commission
until today. It made me realize how much I depend on my laptop to do
all that I need to do. Third, I have been invited to conduct a worship ser-
vice and preach at a neutral church before a vacancy committee of a con-
gregation that has attracted my attention. I would appreciate your
prayers on my behalf as I seek a pastoral position in the Church of Scot-
land.
Blessings to you and yours,
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