11/28/2025
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Christmas. I love the lights, music, decorations, the memories of past Christmases, and fellowship the Christmas season brings. However, as a Christian I know the TRUE joy and hope we have is in Christ. Christmas is the time we set aside to intentionally celebrate the birth of the promised Messiah. While the shepherds were told of the birth of the Savior that night we know “the rest of the story”, as Paul Harvey would say.
We know that baby grew into the man of Jesus Christ. We know he was God in flesh, and came to be the sacrifice for sin. That he was indeed born of a virgin; lived a perfect, sinless life, was beaten and crucified to satisfy God’s wrath for our sins. He died in our place! His righteousness is counted to us; we need only to repent and believe.
We know that he stayed in the tomb for 3 days, defeated death, and ascended to his rightful place beside the Father, and that one day he will return.
Advent is the time we remember the HOPE of the promised Messiah we read about in the prophecies of Old Testament, and the anticipation of celebrating the birth of the promise fulfilled. It is indeed a joyful time!!
My family and I like to set aside time each Sunday leading up Christmas morning by reading the scriptures prophesying his birth; and celebrate Christmas morning by reading the account of his birth from Luke 2:1-20.
Beginning this coming Sunday, November 30th, I'll post a picture of the Advent Candle and Bible verse for that day. That way you and your family can join us in our "countdown" to the celebration of the birth of our Savior.
If you would like to do an advent chain with your children / grandchildren you can find the instructions and corresponding verses for each day on the internet. 🙂