Advent Readings & Ideas

It doesn’t seem like it, but it is still the Christmas season; at least on the Church calendar, it is. Another look at the reason for the season is this:

Last minute preparations are in the mix of shopping, wrapping, and traveling before we gather with friends and family for yet another Christmas celebration. For children, it is an especially wondrous time. They have presented their wish list for the magical overnight delivery of gifts. And for adults too, it’s a time to reflect upon our wishes and desires. I like the way Amy Grant presents it in Grown Up Christmas List.

Another way of expressing the true meaning of the season is here in What I Want for Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Waiting for the Christ to manifest. Waiting for the Promise, the Messiah. The scarlet thread of prophecy points to his Holy arrival throughout the Scriptures of the Old Testament.

I like the idea a youth leader used with his senior high class and the prophecy video from Youth Specialties. (You have to download that one to watch it – wav and mp4.)

…printed each passage on individual numbered cards to make it easier for class members to read.

There are two more big props. The first is the portion of A Charlie Brown Christmas in which Linus recites a bit of the Christmas story. For the second prop, you need to go to a hardware store and buy an 8-inch spike and a craft store to get red yarn. Tie the yarn to the spike and wrap the spike on the bandanna. Now, twist the yarn around the spike. Use a lot of yarn because you need to be able to stretch it along and it needs to disguise the look of the spike.

Follow living3368′s activity here…

As we view news of chaos and misery among people, it seems so easy to hope for the kindness, joy and peace of the season to manifest. Here’s another perspective of how that might be accomplished.

Dennis Bratcher of The Voice covers The Colors of Advent, The Spirit of Advent, Evergreens and The Advent Wreath
, Celebrating Advent, and An Advent Reflection at his educational ministry website.

For another comprehensive perspective, take a few minutes to watch this presentation of the 4 Sundays of the season – its traditions and customs.

Scripture readings for the day — Psalm 85:7-13 and I Kings 21:1-7. I am particularly drawn to the wonderful boldness in the language of Eugene Peterson’s The Message, which puts verse 7 of the Psalm this way:

Show us how much you love us, GOD! Give us the salvation we need!

This season, more than any other I can recall, has an atmosphere of expectancy and impatience to it. “Let the birthing that we anticipate hurry on.” And yet, we must prepare for the arrival. There seems to be a narrow path that preserves us from the discontent of other people’s thinking. So, I take some time for a video meditation. Peace, be still.