The Gifts of Advent

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It’s almost Christmas. Yes, I know it can be a very busy time. Before Covid I used to have 3-4 parties or gatherings at our home and attend others. Not this year. I decorated the whole house, but only a little this year. I’m doing less than I used to, but I’m still feeling frazzled.

So during this season of Advent--when we remember why Jesus came—I have taken special time as each day to reflect on who/why Jesus came to this earth. I have so far identified 28 treasures Advent brings us with the coming of Jesus. I will mention 13 of them here, but know there are many more.
 
The Gifts of Advent
 
1. Recognize that our King is coming. Let us prepare our hearts for His arrival by humbling ourselves before him and expressing our needs. He desires to meet those needs.
 
2.  Try to comprehend what incarnation means: Jesus comes as a human. He became like us so we could become like Him.
 
3.  I’m not a fan of darkness. Jesus, the Light of the World, came into the world scattering the darkness. He shines brightly so we can see and not stumble, so we can follow the path He has prepared for us.
 
4.  Jesus comes as the Good Shepherd who leads us in valleys and on mountains, who protects us from evil, who provides all needs. I have several different pictures of the shepherd rescuing a lost or endangered lamb. And I have experienced that rescue myself.
 
Jesus is the YES!

5.  Jesus comes as the Yes! Amen! to all the promises of Scripture. All those promises you have claimed—Jesus says yes. His answers may look different from your hopes and desires, but our Savior is faithful and trustworthy.
 
6.  Does your life feel like a never-ending storm? Like you may drown? Jesus comes walking on water, subduing the storms of our lives, raising us up when we go under.
 
7.  Jesus comes as Redeemer, able and willing to purchase our freedom and forgiveness by His blood. So we can be assured that we are forgiven—and He gives us the supernatural ability to forgive all the pain others might have caused us.
 
8.  Do you feel trapped—never free from the burdens of life and work, the needs of family? Jesus comes to set us free from slavery--to sin, to selfishness, to our fears and insecurities.
 
To see and to heal
 
9. How many times have you asked God to open the eyes of your loved ones to recognize their true needs?  Jesus comes giving sight to the blind—opening physical eyes and spiritual eyes.
 
10. So many ways we need healing in these days. That’s what Jesus does—He comes healing—our bodies, our hearts, our minds, our emotions, our pasts, our relationships.
 
11.  Jesus comes as the Resurrection and the Life, triumphing over death and grave, now and forever, and raising us with Him. He offers us eternal life and abundant life today on this earth.
 
12.  Jesus comes as Messiah/Savior/Emmanuel, saving us from sin and from ourselves, reconciling us to our God! He is God with us, promising, desiring to be with us.  God living with us and in us.
 
13. And on Christmas Day we shout Alleluia! The King has come! He humbly awaits His crowning in our hearts! May we daily make Him King of our lives!
 
So, as we approach the birthday of our Savior, may we receive him as He comes to us in the place of our deepest need

 
If I really stop to think about Christmas and what it means, I am truly in awe of my God. He loved me—and you—so much He was willing to be “incarnate,” to become a human being.  He so desired to be with me—and you—that He called Jesus “Immanuel,” God with us.  Jesus lived among us, healed, taught, modeled—and died.  And He rose again.
 
I encourage you to jot down a few of these wonderful gifts we receive because Jesus came that were especially meaningful or helpful to you. Pick one to start with. Ask God to show you how Jesus is providing for you with that specific gift from Jesus.
 
May your Christmas be filled with blessings,
Judy

C2021 Judy Douglass