Advent Longing

Advent has just begun. The crazy busy season during which we can find ourselves swept up in the consumerism swirling around us or expend extra energy to create an alternative experience that is less commercial and more spiritual. For Christians, we often feel pressure to juggle these opposing options  in order to find the True Christmas Spirit. There can be an earnest desire to find deep meaning during this season but it often is elusive. We cling to traditions and rituals in hopes that they will be conduits for present joy. We want our treasured memories of former holidays to be resurrected in the present, even if we are now seeing them through rose colored glasses. Countless hours are spent decorating, shopping, baking, cooking, attending parties and events, all in the name of Christmas. But what does this really have to do with Advent and Christmas?

Advent is supposed to be a season of anticipation and of waiting and of longing. We know that we are supposed to be reflecting on the birth of our savior. Emmanuel. God with us in human form. If we truly think of that, it is absolutely mind blowing. So why is it so difficult to stop and take even a few minutes to reflect on the birth of Jesus? Why does it seem that everything else grabs our attention more than that? Sure, we've heard the story hundreds of times, but could we possibly be bored by it?

I don't think that is it. I think Advent is still  saturated in our longing for Christ. But because we are living in the time between Christ's coming and his ultimate returning, we don't always understand our longings. We have a deep desire to feel at home, surrounded by those we love and free from all of our sins and the weight of the world. The decorating, shopping, baking, cooking and partying really reflect our desire to rejoice and celebrate in our eternal home with our Heavenly Father and our loved ones.  I think that in our deepest core, that our need to find God and our true home is what drives us to all of this activity. 

I think that in our attempts to experience and spread Christmas Joy and to love our friends and families and coworkers and neighbors we sometimes get a taste of what our eternal home will be like. We are blessed when we see delight in someone's face when they receive a special gift, or enjoy food that was lovingly prepared for them, or gaze on the beauty of candles and trees and twinkling lights or hear beautiful Christmas music. Often advent is the season when people are the most generous or thoughtful about those less fortunate. These can all be ways to prepare ourselves for our heavenly home. 

But, I do see the need in all of this busyness to set apart time to be quiet and focus on God. There is no substitution for actually spending time quietly in God's presence. Everything else we do can fall short if we neglect to immerse ourselves in Him. All God truly wants is for us to love Him and one another. To come home. To rest. To have all our longings met in Him.