Advent....the time of waiting for the Christ Child

ADVENT 

Await my soul in glad anticipation--

the Savior is coming! Be still my heart!

Dance and sing in wild jubilation! 

The King is coming, His grace to impart.

Veiled in wonder, God incarnate, 

Mystery to ponder, wisdom and love.

Echo the angels, sing Hallelujah! 

Peace on earth, sent from above!

Night of darkness banished forever, 

Son of God, Love's pure Light!

Tell the nations, spread the glad tidings. 

Joy came down to earth that night!

I wrote this poem 10+ years ago, but always think of it when Advent begins. Advent is the time of waiting. A time to anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ.

 I discovered a wonderful book several years ago, called simply "The Advent Book" by Jack and Kathy Stockman. This book was their family's way to 'journey to Bethlehem'. For each day in December there is a door to be opened and part of the story from scripture told for that day.

 I thought it was not only a beautiful book to look at, but a wonderful way to pass the time waiting for the Christ Child. So that year I sat down and each night as I opened the doors, I wrote my own meditations for the scriptures, as a way to travel towards Bethlehem and Jesus. It was a meaningful time for me, and last year I shared these writings with a few friends and relatives. 

This year, I thought I would put them in a Blog and add some suitable pictures (since you can't see the doors as I open them) and let whoever wants to read my insights, to do so. This is my journey, my waiting time. It may be different for you. Each one of us has to make the journey on our own, reading the scriptures, and seeing what God says to us in them. I hope you will make your own journey and not just rely on mine. 

I will start the story when "The Advent Book" starts, on December 1st and continue through until the end. I always write my meditations in the form of prayers, so keep in mind that I'm addressing God throughout. These are my thoughts and insights and you might not agree with all of them. Any poetry is mine and not to be copied or used elsewhere without my permission.

Father I have sinned.....

Luke 15:18 “Father I have sinned against God and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.”

Heavenly Father,

There is no story more beautiful than the Lost Son. We are all lost, strayed from our home in heaven, and our Father who loves us. We think we want “more”. We aren't satisfied. We want money, power, control, freedom, to “be on our own”…be our own boss. It always ends in failure. We gain “things” and keep trying to buy happiness, but we feel the dissatisfaction of something missing, a futility to any of it, a lack of purpose, a longing for something more. 

Man has a connection to You, that pulls and tugs and teases at us. Where is home? What is missing? Why am I not really happy? When we decide to seek You, when we decide to turn towards home, You are ready and waiting to meet us. The arms of grace are spread wide and You want to have your sons and daughters back home! When we recognize we are wrong, that we have sinned, that we can’t get home without help, that we need You, that we don’t want to be in control any more…and never really were, then You are ready and willing to throw your arms of love around us and draw us close. 

You don’t want us back as slaves or servants. You want us back as sons and daughters. You don’t plan to make us “earn” our home or “work our way up from the bottom”…You want to clothe us in the robes of grace, put the ring of family on our finger, and throw the finest feast to celebrate. Redeeming lost sons is your business. Welcoming them home is what You do best. Loving us is as natural to You as breathing is to us! Father, I have sinned! I no longer deserve to be your daughter, but I know you will welcome me home through Jesus Christ. Thank you! amen.