Advent Reflection

Advent, the current season according to the church calendar, is a time of waiting. Christians remember those who were waiting for the Messiah before Jesus’ first appearance on Earth, and we remember that we are waiting for that same Immanuel – God with us – to return. Advent and the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas reminds God’s people that all our hearts truly desire, is to be in His presence unendingly. Both the joy that wells up when we catch glimmers of Christ and the sorrow we feel when facing the realities of this fallen world while waiting for Him to return, remind us of the deep yearning to rest in Him ceaselessly.

In a sense, this is what ministry always does to our hearts. It shoves the “already, not yet” reality of knowing that Jesus won the victory, but He has not yet returned, into view regularly as we seek to love the least, lonely, and lost among the poor and hungry and the rich and overfed. Outside of the Advent and Christmas season, though, the daily waiting can become numbing. This season is God’s call to refocus on what life for the believer is all about – abiding. The Holy Spirit abides in our hearts without ceasing, and we are called to abide with others so that they too can know the Immanuel presence of God.

Yet, being with others so that they can be with Him can also be a distraction from these truths personally. As the new year approaches, what might it look like to abide with God in your ministry, language learning, classroom, family, and personal routines? What will undergird your life so that on your best and worst days, you can remember that everything happens within the canister of the faithfulness of the sovereign and good God who abides with you?

If you want to talk through these ideas or hear about other resources for your family, please reach out to the newly formed TCK Care Team at tck@teachbeyond.org or lnimmon@teachbeyond.org.