Advent. Coming. The word rings in my heart this Christmas season. The Advent season marks the celebration of Christ entering our world. God in flesh was born into a life lived as a sacrifice for us and for the glory of God the Father.
Coming. This word lingers. My 3 year old daughters understands it in a way that opens my eyes. She is anticipating the celebration at Christmas Eve. She tells me, she will wear her dress and will sit with her family. Oma will sit in front of her and Jesus will sit beside her. For my daughter since Jesus is at the center of this amazing party, He MUST be there to celebrate. For this little girl, who is tactile and concrete, her joy and anticipation is in the moment when she can sit and touch (hug) Jesus. Her excitement is in His coming.
Coming. We are Christ's Bride. We celebrate Christmas because He CAME (what joy!) and because we have the promise that HE IS COMING!! Like my daughter, we wait, ready, full of anticipation for our Bridegroom. By His blood we have been bought, rescued and adorned with His righteousness. Now like my daughter in her precious Christmas dress, we wait for HIM and for the celebration that will thunder through all creation!
This year I find that as I look on the Child in a manger, I am full of wonder not only at the unimaginable act of God sacrificially sending His son into the world as Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23), but also in realizing I am looking upon a future promise. The One seated at the right hand of God the Father is returning. This Christmas celebration is a foretaste for the celebration to come and for the One who WILL COME! Our joy is that we celebrate the One who has come and is to come" (Rev 1:8).
"Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7)
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