Advent is a season of giving. I guess the three Wise Kings get credit for this tradition because they were the first to bring gifts to the Christ Child. Although truthfully, God really gave the first gift when He gave His only Son, Jesus, to the world. Nevertheless, now Santa Claus has taken up the gift giving cause in a world wide kind of way, involving workshops at the North Pole run by elves, a magical sleigh, flying reindeer and a midnight ride that makes Paul Revere’s pale in comparison. (Santa covers a lot more ground than Paul did)

Perhaps I am thinking of gifts now because today is the day of the annual white elephant gift exchange and I am scrambling to select something worthy of this occasion. It is said that this term “white elephant gift” originated with the King of Siam, who gave albino elephants to courtiers he did not like, so that they would be ruined by the animal’s upkeep costs. Over time, this became more generalized to kings giving worthless or undesirable gifts to those who were not favored. Today a white elephant gift is something we have lying around the house that we don’t really like or use, something we wish to get rid of, something or anything we no longer want which would make a humorous or a silly gift.

Now one man’s junk could turn out to be another man’s treasure, but most often a white elephant is just that, a white elephant – no matter who the beholder. I don’t see where white elephant gifts were a popular concept anywhere in the Bible. In fact, gifts were a big deal in the Bible and taken very seriously. It was their gifts to God that caused the conflict between Cain and Able. King David said he would not give to God an offering that cost him nothing. Gifts to God were to be from the firstfruits of the individual’s crop or herd, not from what was substandard or leftover. Animals sacrificed to God in the temple were to be the first born, perfect, unblemished animals from the flocks.

Gifts were a sign of reverence, respect and esteem due the recipient of the gift from the giver. The original three gifts given to Jesus set the bar pretty high for future offerings. We read about these first gifts of Advent brought by the Wise Men to Jesus in Matthew 2:9-11 – they were gold, frankincense and myrrh.

” . . . and the star they had seen in the east stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

Gold was a gift given to royalty, given to Kings. Gold was considered the most valuable substance of all and was the standard by which the value of everything else was measured. By giving Jesus gold, the Wise Men acknowledged the Kingship of the Christ Child even if the rest of the world did not. Frankincense was used to worship the King and this gift recognized Jesus’s role as our great High Priest before God. Myrrh was a costly spice used to embalm the dead. This gift foretold Jesus’s sacrificial death on our behalf, the sacred purpose for which He was born.

These first gifts of the first Advent were rare and costly gifts, befitting the One who was born King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This causes me to consider what gifts I am offering to the Christ child during this Advent season. Am I giving Jesus my firstfruits or am I giving Him my leftovers? Am I giving white elephant gifts or am I offering to Jesus something befitting of who He is? Still, what could I possibly offer up to the Savior of all mankind, Creator of the universe, Lord of all? God Himself says in Psalm 50:7-13,

“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before Me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?”

So what does God desire from me? He certainly doesn’t need anything I have to offer. However, God says –

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” (Psalm 50:14-15)

A grateful heart toward God, honoring God, acknowledging Him as my provider – these things are what He desires from me. Hebrews 13:15-16 tells me more about what I can give to God, saying –

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

So now I am learning what pleases my Heavenly Father – praise, confession, sharing, generosity, – these are the sacrifices God desires rather than burnt offerings. I also learn in Psalm 50:15-17 –

“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Micah asked this same question so long ago – what gift could he give to God that God would want?

“With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

How clear that is! God wants me to be acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with Him. I am to offer up to God a broken, repentant, humble spirit and a contrite heart. The psalmist says God does not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

Well, we don’t do animal sacrifices and burnt offerings anymore, but we do something similar – we give our money in the offering plate. I guess that’s our altar of sacrifice. Maybe in our culture today, money is what the burnt offerings were to the Israelites then. They gave some of their possessions to God in place of giving themselves to God. We do the same thing. We give our money, all the while holding onto our hearts, keeping them for ourselves or giving them to other gods. Turns out, God doesn’t want our stuff – He wants us. Go figure? Paul writes to the believers in Rome these words,

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

So God wants me, not the substitute of an animal sacrifice or money. And He wants all of me.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

God wants my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength and the operative word seems to be all. God gave me all when He gave me His Son, Jesus.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

Jesus gave me His all when He gave His very life on that cross so that I could be forgiven of my sins and receive eternal life.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

God has already given the greatest gift, the perfect gift to me and to the whole world. This Advent season, as I ponder the perfect gift to bring to Him, may I not be guilty of offering to Him a white elephant gift, – an unwanted castoff, the leftovers of my life, my partial, half-hearted attention and affection. No, may I give to God that which He desires – thank offerings, sacrifices of praise, a contrite heart, all of me with nothing held back. God’s word says thanksgiving, praise, contrition are the sacrifices He desires.

Then I read 1 Samuel 15:22 and I know I have found the perfect gift –

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

I will offer up obedience, I will be all in, and I will say along with the psalmist –

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)

such are the gifts of Advent,

sincerely, Grace Day

Today is cold and very windy, so windy there are weather advisories abounding and some states have had tornadoes taking lives and doing damage. It is our morning to walk and pray in the neighborhood, and so we gather and head out into the streets as we have done so many times before. On this particular day however, I don’t expect to encounter any people out in their yards or on their porches or out walking due to the weather.

And this proved to be true until, as we neared the end of our time outside, we met a couple walking as we were, because as it turns out, their car is in need of repair. We were able to pray with them, give them some local resource information and encourage them. As we all stood in the windy, winter cold, I was warmed by the exchange of hope and caring that we were able to share with these two strangers – well, strangers to us, not to God.

How appropriate that in this season of Advent, we should be about sharing the Good News that Christ has come. Isaiah 52:7 says,

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ ”

Reminds me of the Christmas carol proclaiming, “Oh tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!” Which is what the angel said to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born – “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

The Good News of Christmas is that Jesus came and He is coming again. We rejoice in this Good News as we celebrate His birth even as we wait expectantly for His return. Advent is all about hope – the hope that Jesus brought into the world with His birth and the hope the promise of His return gives to every person.

“Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” (Isaiah 52:8-10)

God has comforted – one of the gifts of Advent – comfort. Something I sorely need in troubling times. Something ushered in by the presence of the Christ Child.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

oh tidings of comfort and joy! a song of Advent – how beautiful the feet of the messengers of Advent! Today my friends and I got to be those messengers – what pure joy!

sincerely, Grace Day

I wasn’t feeling very adventful yesterday, that is my confession. I can’t tell you why, exactly. I just was not feeling what we refer to as the “Christmas spirit.” Then two things happened to lift my spirits and refocus my attention. The first was an unexpected delivery to my door. As I had not ordered anything, the element of surprise brightened my day immediately. It turned out to be a Christmas gift from my oldest daughter and son in law and it was the perfect gift for me – ice cream! (my favorite food group)

Nothing says fun like multiple flavors of gourmet ice cream. Then I went with friends to the movies and saw, “Christmas with The Chosen” – the story of the first Christmas. I have watched the first season of “The Chosen” on DVD and am looking forward to watching season two soon. So this special Christmas movie of The Chosen is an unexpected bonus. It is a bonus that does not disappoint.

Both the music and the message of this movie ministered to my spirit. I left renewed and refocused on the reason for this season. The message from the manger is a powerful one – Christ came for us. We are chosen, you and I, and all who will believe in the miracle of Immanuel – God with us. This was Good News then, it is still Good News today. Jesus came for the poor, the marginalized, the neglected, the rejected, the overlooked, the undervalued, the despised, the outcast, the prisoner, the oppressed, the broken, the hurting, the struggling, the seeking, the lost among us. Jesus came for me. Jesus came for you. He came to redeem each one of us for Himself.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Jesus was clear about His purpose in coming here. In Luke 19:10 He said,

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

That’s me, lost and needing to be saved, mourning and needing comfort, brokenhearted and needing to be healed, a captive longing to be set free. Jesus came for this very purpose. You and I can know that we are chosen! We are called and we are carried. We are known and we are named by our Creator. We are pursued and we are prized by the God of all the universe.

“For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43:3-4)

And that’s just what God did. He gave His only Son, Jesus, in exchange for my life and for your life, too, dear readers.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

That’s the Good News of Christmas – God gave us a Savior in the person of His Son, Jesus. Advent reminds me never to take this gift for granted but instead to remember at what great cost Jesus came here to rescue me and you. And make no mistake, the cost was very great.

” . . . Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8)

Such an expensive gift, my Heavenly Father freely gives to me. I must make room to receive this gift and to welcome in the Giver of the gift, Himself.

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day

Who is the baby in the manger? to answer this question, is to answer Advent’s mystery.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

Immanuel, meaning God with us, The Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, Son of the Most High, The Word become flesh, Light of the world – so many big names for such a small baby –

“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.’ ” (Luke 1:30-33)

The angel told Mary she was to name her baby, Jesus. And so she gave him that name. And what a name it is! Philippians 2:9-11 explains the significance of this name, saying –

“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The mystery of Advent is answered when I discover the identity of the baby in the manger. By learning this baby’s many names, I learn who He really is. His names reveal to me His true identity. When He was a baby, others spoke His many names. When He could speak for Himself, Jesus said this,

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’ ” (John 6:35 & 51)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

On that adventful night, the angel told the shepherds about the baby in the manger’s birth, saying, “a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) These were just two more names or titles identifying who Jesus is, who He was born to be – both Savior and Lord. The prophet Isaiah really blows the mystery of Advent wide open with his declaration of who this long-expected child is as revealed by His many names and titles.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Messiah, Anointed One, Son of God, our great high priest (Hebrews 4:14) – each name helps me understand more fully who Jesus is. And then there is this revelation in Revelation (of course) 19:11-13 which identifies Advent’s baby in the manger in a whole new way, reminding me that this baby in the manger grew up to be the man on the cross who died for my sins. (Lamb slain before the foundation of the world – another title) This same Christmas baby is now my Advocate, sitting at the right hand of the Father, making continuous intercession for me and for you, too, dear readers. If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is! So here’s John’s revelation –

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. (two more names) With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.”

Of course! the Word of God – that name of Jesus makes perfect sense and reveals His true identity. On that adventful, first Christmas night, John described baby Jesus’s arrival here on earth with these words,

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Immanuel, God with us! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1-2)

the miracle and the mystery of Christmas Advent – all wrapped up in a manger bed on a cold winter night.

“who is this baby in the manger? that the stars should shine so bright –

who is this baby in the manger? filling the world with His light –

the angels seem to know Him, they tell the shepherds His name –

Wise Men want to worship Him, just look how far they came!

who is this baby in the manger? the Prince of Peace, the Lamb,

He’s the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He is the great I AM!”

O Come, let us adore Him! Christ the Lord!

sincerely, Grace Day

The preparations of Advent continue but sometimes I feel like something is missing. I continue on with my Advent tasks, nevertheless. Today I unpacked my nativity and began arranging the various figures, putting them in their proper places to reflect the story the Nativity tells. I put the sheep with the shepherds, the camel with the Wise Men, the donkey in the stable, and Mary and Joseph next to the manger, with the angel at the top of the stable roof. At this point it became obvious to me what was missing – there was no baby Jesus figure in the manger.

How had I lost Jesus in the process of putting the Nativity together? He was here last Christmas, I know. I remember packing Him away along with all the other figures that are a part of this Advent story. What has happened? Have I not paid enough attention? Have I been careless in my handling of the Nativity?

As I ponder this mystery of my missing manger piece, baby Jesus, I realize that too often the real Jesus is missing from the Advent season. A popular phrase at this time of year, “He’s the reason for the season”, can be seen displayed on coffee mugs, dishtowels, ornaments and on all types of Christmas decorations. Of course, the “He” in this mantra is Jesus. And the words are true. Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection are what we celebrate when we celebrate Christmas. If the manger is empty, my celebration is empty as well. I am missing the essential, notable Person, whose arrival on earth I am supposed to be commemorating.

Jesus’s Presence is essential to the observance of Advent. Am I forgetting to invite Him into every aspect of my Advent preparations? Am I excluding the guest of honor from the party planning and from the party itself? Jesus fills so much more than just the manger. Ephesians 1:22-23 explains,

“And God placed all things under His (Jesus) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him (Jesus) who fills everything in every way.”

Yes, Jesus fills much more than the manger in the Nativity at Christmas. “The whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) and “In Him I live and move and have my being.” (Acts 17:28) He fills all the empty spaces in my heart and in my soul. Apart from His presence, something is missing in me, not just during Advent, but every day of the year.

While a quick search revealed my missing manger piece, the baby Jesus, my overall sense that something is missing persists. I come to the realization that sometimes I pursue other paths which lead me away from God and I too often fill my life with other things, leaving little or no room for Jesus, essentially crowding Him out of my life. Then I end up feeling far from God. And even though I am filled with the things I have pursued in His place, I am empty. Something’s missing.

Advent is the perfect time for me to find my way back home, to empty out all the accumulated clutter that has crowded out Christ, make room for Him once again, and invite Him into my heart, my home and my life all over again. Jesus really is the reason for the Advent season. If the something missing is His presence, then Advent is incomplete. Actually, without Jesus’s presence, Advent does not take place at all. But praise God, the manger was not empty, only the tomb is!

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day

Remember the definition of advent? – “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.” Christmas is the remembering and celebrating of a very notable event, the birth of a very notable person, namely Jesus. Christmas is celebrated around the world, across all countries and cultures. You could say Christmas is the biggest party earth throws every year. Like most parties, the celebration includes lots of good food, music, decorations, gifts and the fun of being together with others to celebrate the person and the event.

As Christmas lights go up on homes and stores, in parks, on city streets and in other public places, we began to feel a party atmosphere developing. And then the memories come flooding back – memories of parties past, that we were not invited to attend. Oh, we knew about them, maybe even read about them in the paper or saw them recounted on TV. But we were not on the guest list for any of these parties, maybe we were not even included on the guest list for work parties which were for some employees only or neighbors excluded us or even family did not invite us to a particular event.

Not so with the party that celebrates Christmas. The Father of the Christ Child, God Himself, is the host of the Christmas celebration, commemorating the birth of His Son, and God’s guest list for His Son’s birthday party is all inclusive. No one is excluded from this party. Every single person is invited! God overlooks no one. Psalm 145:9 affirms this saying,

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.”

That’s us! God has compassion on us and would never exclude us from the most important party of the universe. The only question is – will we accept or decline God’s invitation to know His Son and to celebrate His birth? The invitations have been issued and each one of us is a favored recipient of God’s generous offer. It is time for you and for me to R.S.V.P. Even though we may be slow to respond to God’s invite, He waits patiently for our answer, holding out hope that we will accept His invitation.

“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Now coming to repentance may not appear synonymous with coming to a party, but it is the former that allows the latter to be possible. God invites us to come – will we accept? Come! He says –

” ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:18-20)

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The invitation has been issued and it is for everyone! It is like the angel said to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born –

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ ” (Luke 2:9-12)

Did you catch that, dear readers? “great joy that will be for all the people.” No one is excluded from receiving God’s good gift to all mankind – His Son, Jesus.

the invitations have been issued – the advent of Advent is here – time to R.S.V.P.! God bids us come!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

O Come, let us adore Him!

sincerely, Grace Day

As I slipped into my seat in the pew this morning while a Christmas carol played, I was struck by the beauty of this familiar sanctuary, now dressed up for Advent, in preparation for the coming of the Christ child. Every day is an adventful day in this month of December and today is no exception. During this morning’s church service we participated in the Lord’s Supper or Communion – truly an act of Advent if ever there was one.

When Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples, He instructed them saying as He broke the bread,

” ‘Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me.’ Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins; this do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords’ death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26 & Matthew 26:27-28)

Receiving the Lord’s Supper is both the act of remembering and acknowledging the Notable event of Christ’s death on the cross and of looking forward to the fulfillment of His promise to return one day to earth. I am doing both things simultaneously, every time I participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – remembering and looking forward. This is just as true with the Advent of Christmas. I am remembering and celebrating the past event of Christ’s birth all the while looking forward to and preparing for the Notable event yet to come – His return.

That will be one unforgettable event – Jesus’s return to earth. Preparations for this event have been ongoing for centuries. That might seem a bit improbable until you consider what needs to be done in order to be ready for this event. Isaiah 40:3-5 describes some of the preparations that need to take place-

“A voice of one calling in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ ”

Every valley raised up? every mountain and hill made low? a highway through the wilderness? Preparation for the Advent yet to come is definitely pretty labor intensive. (sounds like a lot of infrastructure work, doesn’t it?) Nevertheless, ongoing preparations are always taking place. God’s creation is preparing for His return and we as His people should join in that effort.

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. . . . We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:19, 22-23)

That day is coming. We are currently in a season of Advent preparing for that day – maybe by moving mountains with our prayers or by smoothing rough places in order that other sojourners might find their way to Christ more easily, or by building bridges to provide safe passage over chasms of division among peoples God loves, or by untangling lies in the wilderness, allowing Truth to make straight highways through the deserts of deception to the Creator of us all.

And on that day a Notable event will take place, described here in these words –

“Therefore God exalted Him (Jesus) to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

thank You, Heavenly Father, for another adventful day in this season of Advent,

sincerely, Grace Day

Today I set the Santa Christmas plate in its holder above the kitchen sink. Seems like it was only yesterday that I did this, or was it a lifetime ago? A lot happens in a year, even if the time does pass in the blink of an eye, like the melting of the morning mist or the fading of the light at sunset. Nevertheless, unpacking Christmas decorations is like reconnecting with old, familiar friends. It is good to see them again and they come with many memories attached.

This particular Santa plate is no exception. It was purchased on the occasion of my oldest daughter’s first Christmas for a very special purpose – it is the plate upon which we placed cookies for Santa Claus, which we leave by the fireplace, awaiting his late night arrival. The plate is no longer needed for that very important purpose, so now it is a decoration – complete with memories of Christmases past.

Growing up, my sisters and I took great care in choosing which treats would be left out for Santa Claus by the fireplace. Santa was important, we wanted to leave him what we thought to be the best of the sweet treats. Nothing less would do. We also wanted to be sure the fire was out before we went to sleep, fearing that Santa wouldn’t come down the chimney if there was a roaring fire waiting for him. (guess we thought Santa’s magic only extended so far – he could handle round the world travel in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, but not fire – after all, Santa’s only human)

I wonder if the three Kings spent as much time agonizing over what gifts they would bring to baby Jesus as my sisters and I did in deciding which cookies would make the final cut and end up on Santa’s plate? I wonder if we gave any thought to what gifts we might give to Jesus? It is His birthday, after all, not Santa’s. But what do you give to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe? The cattle on a thousand hills are His – what could I give to Him? Psalm 51:17 tells me,

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Micah 6:8 and Hosea 6:6 also help me understand what gifts I could give to Jesus and His Father, God –

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Seems like Jesus wants my heart. There is no substitute gift that will do. My favorite Christmas story, “The Littlest Angel”, deals with this age old gift giving dilemma. In this story, a very young boy angel needs a gift for Jesus because the angels in heaven are celebrating Christmas, which is Jesus’s birthday, by giving Jesus gifts. The other gifts are all so splendid. But the littlest angel has nothing but a rough box full of his earthly treasures, all he has left to remind him of his short life on earth. At last, the littlest angel decides to part with his treasure box and present it to Jesus. It is not splendid and extravagant like all the other gifts assembled there. But God not only accepted but praised the littlest angel’s gift, because he had parted with his dearest treasure, he had given from his heart. He had indeed given Jesus his heart.

I so identify with the littlest angel. What could I possibly give to God this Advent season? I have nothing of value to offer – or am I judging by the world’s standard of value rather than by God’s standard? Romans 12:1 instructs me –

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

I don’t have gold, frankincense or myrrh to give, like the three Kings did on that first Christmas. But God doesn’t want those things, He wants my heart – so I had better be getting my heart ready now, in this season of Advent – ready to receive Him – ready to give Him all of it, full access. Let every heart prepare Him room!

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

give Jesus the gift of letting Him in this Advent season! He is the King of glory!

sincerely, Grace Day

There is no snow here yet. Nothing says Christmas to me like snow does, although in most of the world there is never snow on Christmas day or on any other day of the year either, for that matter. Snow, it turns out, is not a required prerequisite for the celebration of Christmas. Christmas music, though, is a must for me. I love the old Christmas carols which we still sing today. One particular carol is already playing in my head as I begin another day in this Advent season. It is “Joy to the World.”

This song has stood the test of time. Written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, the words proclaim – Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing . . .” This is definitely a song written by someone who understood the importance of Advent. Watts wrote about preparing to receive this Notable Person by making room for Him in our hearts! I guess the problem of an overcrowded heart, full of worldly desires and concerns, or perhaps filled with greed, envy, strife, unforgiveness, anger, pain, the busyness of good deeds etc. is not a circumstance new to our present day.

When Jesus came here two-thousand twenty-one years ago, people’s hearts and lives were already full – full of themselves – full of the Law they tried in vain to keep – full of rules and regulations that left them exhausted and empty. And yet they had no room for Jesus. They had not even attempted to prepare a place for Him. But in their defense, they were caught off guard. They had been waiting such a long time that they had ceased being watchful for or even expecting, for that matter, the arrival of the Messiah whom God had promised to send to them.

Advent is watching for, expecting, preparing, waiting, hoping, believing – all these are a part of the Advent experience. This reminds me of something Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24:42-44 when He said,

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. . . . So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Then Jesus told the story of a master who went away on a long trip and put his servants in charge of his household in his absence until such time as he returned. Would the servants faithfully carry out their master’s business while he was away, or would they do their own thing, neglecting the tasks he entrusted to them? Then Jesus says this,

“It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” (Matthew 24:46)

“doing so” – in this story refers to being about the business that the owner of the house had charged them with doing. The servants were to be watching for, expecting, preparing for, waiting for, hoping for the return of the owner of the house – who was their provider and protector. They were in a season of Advent, if you will, until the owner should return. (which would be a notable event)

We, too, dear readers, are in a season of Advent in addition to our annual Christmas Advent. This earth belongs to our Heavenly Father. He created it and left us in charge of His creation until such time as, like the homeowner in Jesus’s story, He returns. When He comes back, will He find me busy with my own affairs or will He find me faithfully following and carrying out His instructions? In this Advent season, as I prepare to celebrate the anniversary of Jesus’s first coming to earth; I am mindful that there is another Advent (or notable event) yet to come. Jesus will return to earth one day. I am given a head’s up about this event in Acts 1:10-11 –

“They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.’ ” Then I read these words –

“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) And Luke 21:27 tells me –

“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

It will be impossible to miss this big event. But will I be ready? It is hard to prepare for because –

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. . . . If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!” (Mark 13:32-37)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)

To participate in Advent is to keep watch – It is to celebrate Jesus’s first coming while preparing for His second. Israel was not prepared to receive Jesus at His first coming. Hopefully, we will be better prepared to receive Jesus when He comes again. I pray He may find me waiting, watching, expecting, preparing, hoping, believing – with my home, my heart and my life open to receive His presence because I have made room for Him to enter in.

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

Come Lord Jesus, enter in, fill every space in my home, my heart, and my life –

sincerely, Grace Day

I have turned the page of my wall calendar, thereby officially acknowledging Advent’s arrival with the month of December. I have switched out my stained-glass pumpkin hanging in the window for a stained-glass candy cane. Not much of a start, but it’s something visual to remind me that Advent has begun. So much to do! A lot of clutter needs to be cleared if I am to make room enough for Christmas decorations. It feels like an overwhelming task at present.

I’m glad God is not overwhelmed by the prospect of all the cleaning that needs to be done in my heart. My Heavenly Father is undaunted by the needs of my heart, which only He can meet anyway. Without God’s constant care, my heart grows hard and needs His softening touch to remove accumulated stones. On its own, my heart grows cold and indifferent. Only God can restore warmth and caring to my heart. But my heart (like the Inn in the Christmas story) is too often already full of other things, thus denying God access, preventing Him from entering in to do His lifesaving work in my heart.

Ironically, that’s a part of the Christmas story I remember well, having been taught as a child – “there was no room in the Inn for Mary and Joseph” – meaning, there was no room for Jesus anywhere in Bethlehem. That’s why He ended up being born in a stable. No one would make room for Mary and Joseph even though they could see she was clearly ready to give birth. Joseph knocked on a lot of doors that cold winter night, but no one would make room for this young couple and the baby they were about to bring into the world. They were all too busy going about their lives. Sound familiar?

Today, Jesus is still knocking on doors, asking for entrance into our lives – the very lives that we received from Him in the first place. Jesus’s words in Revelation and in John make this clear when He says,

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’ ” (John 14:23)

Jesus is knocking at my door today. Am I too busy with Advent activities to answer? (how ironic) Have I prepared for His arrival? Am I ready to receive Him? Have I made enough room for Him in my home and in my heart? Or have I filled my days and my life with other pursuits, leaving no room and no time for Jesus? Isn’t that what Advent is all about? – making room for this notable Person, Jesus, to come in and make His home with me, just as He promised He would do – and making time to spend with Him.

Advent is about making space – space for God in my life. Today as I clean my home to create space for Christmas decorations, I will also clear my calendar to create space in which to spend time with this Notable Person whose birth I am preparing to celebrate.

On how many Christmases since that first Christmas has there been no room for the guest of honor? I do not want that to be true of my home, my heart or of my life this Christmas. Today, this second day of Advent, is a good day for me to,

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Today I will accept the invitation which Jesus extended to His apostles in Mark 6:31,

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away with Me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for awhile.’ “

Jesus extends this same invitation to me and to you, today, dear readers. Now is the time for us to make room in our busy schedules and accept His invitation. This is the invitation of Advent – to invite the guest of honor in and to spend time with Him. What great joy there is in His presence!

sincerely, Grace Day