Advent: Waiting That Forms Us
Advent slows us down in the best kind of way. It pulls us out of the rush of the “holiday” season and invites us to breathe, to notice, and to wait. We live in the space between what is and what will be, holding on to the promise that God is not finished yet. The story of Israel’s long wait becomes our story too. And while the world tells us to hurry up, Advent teaches us to linger. It invites us to let longing do its work in us and to let hope stretch our faith a little wider.
We learn to hope.
We learn to work towards peace.
We learn to experience Joy.
We embrace the reality that we are dearly and deeply loved.
For a community like ours, Advent is more than just a tradition on our annual church calendar. It shapes the way we live together on mission in the world. We are not just remembering the birth of Jesus way back when. We are announcing that God has drawn near and is still redeeming all things. Each candle we light for hope, peace, joy, and love is a quiet, yet visible act of defiance against the darkness around us. It is our way of saying to our neighbors and to ourselves that light wins and there is a final act of the Story yet to come.
Advent forms us into a waiting people, but it is not a passive waiting. Advent trains us to pay attention to the work of God that is already unfolding in our city, in our families, and in our lives. When we gather around the table or share a meal with someone who feels forgotten, we are living the story we celebrate, and holding on for the ending of the story we long for. When we choose a way of simplicity, thanksgiving, and generosity- We are declaring afresh: Christ has come. Christ is here. And Christ will come again.
That is the heartbeat of Advent.
This year may our hearts, our homes, and our MC’s lean into this season with eyes opened to what is and imaginations still brave enough to dream of what is yet to come!