Advent, Part 1

Advent, Part 1
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 by Dr. James W. Walraven

Categories: Contemporary issues / Encouraging words / Hope in Christ / The church / Thought for Today

Advent: a time of joyous celebration anticipating both Christ’s second and first coming. It is also more than that: a time of preparation for His coming, especially His promised return.

How are we doing? Not just for us as Christians in general, but also for those of us in pastoral, church, or parachurch leadership. To repeat: How are we doing? Especially within a secular culture that is getting increasingly anti-Biblical and anti-Christian (though it has always been that), it is a good time to take stock in how things are going.

For those of us in ministry: are we proclaiming the full counsel of God (see Acts 20:27, KJV), or are we soft-pedaling or ignoring things that might make people uncomfortable? Have we started to side with the culture and rationalize away Scripture, or do we seek to uphold the unchanging truth of Scripture? Remember all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

For all of us, do we still ardently love Christ? Do our lives demonstrate love, love not just for Christ, but also for others? Or as Jesus predicted would happen to most, is our love growing cold? Remember the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2. While they were doctrinally solid, recognized false teachers, and had remained faithful, they had lost their first love. God warned them that if they didn’t repent their church would be removed. That happened. While churches in a number of historical biblical cities still exist, Ephesus is no more. For those of us whose love might have waned, let us use Advent as a time to rekindle afresh our love for God.

Are we thankful? We’ve just concluded Thanksgiving. Many in the world have already forgotten it, moving on to the shopping frenzy of black Friday, cyber Monday, and (to the tune of Deck the Halls) spending money on lots of presents. That giving, of course, can be a good thing, but going into deeper consumer debt in the process? Not so much.

Not only that, but in the aftermath of the elections, leading members of the defeated party are referring to most Americans as garbage. Calling people garbage is about as far away from being thankful as one can get. Are we responding in kind? If so, we’ve got a significant problem. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks in all things (not “for,” but “in”). Are we grumbling or complaining? During Advent, unlike many, let us remain thankful. We have so much to be grateful for.

Are there things in our lives that need to be removed? Are we engaging in a behavior, perhaps expressing anger or bitterness, or harboring wrong thoughts, including anything from lust—not just sexual, but perhaps for some thing or power—to jealousy or envy? If so, let us repent of it during this Advent season.

Have the cares of this life sidetracked us? Has our focus gotten off? Instead of Christ being at the center of our lives, has a job, hobby, sports or gaving activity, or even family, taken first place? Even God-ordained family must not usurp Christ’s place, as Jesus warns us in Matthew 10:37. For those of us who long for an immediate family, that longing can also dethrone God’s place.

During this Advent season, may we make certain that God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the One we love more than anything or anyone else. May we truly serve God joyfully with all our heart.

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