Gilliam Family 25 Days of Christmas: The Fourth and Final Sunday of Advent

It is the final Sunday of Advent, and I can already feel my mind and my heart wandering.  We are just a few days away from that most precious and most busy of holidays.  I find myself wandering if I have enough things to give, when I should be asking if I have given enough of myself.  I'm beginning to fret about all the places we need to be and when and how the kids are going to nap.

This morning, even as we reviewed I began to feel less awed by these things.  Advent means..coming.  Who is coming?...baby Jesus.  First candle:  God is our Shepherd.  Second candle:  Jesus brings forgiveness.  Third.  Wait with joy.  All things I recited in the least joyful of mindsets.

But God.  He breaks in.  He tugs at our hearts.  He grabs us by the shoulders and begs us not to settle for simply feeling warm inside and opening nice presents that are all tied up with string, when the King of Glory is within our grasp.

Today we are reminded who is coming.  We are waiting for the Son.  He was fully God and fully man.  Fully God's son and fully born of Mary's womb.  For the Believer, He is our Hope--and the reason that we fight for more than just delighting in the things we have this season.

Today we read:

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-37, 46-52

A celebrating of God's covenant with David, which is fulfilled in Jesus.

Isaiah 9:1-7

Deliverance is promised through a king that is born of David's line.

Luke 1:26-38

Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel, and he tells her good news, that she will bare a son who is called Emmanuel, for He will be with us.

We are praying that even as we enjoy exchanging gifts with one another, and watching our little ones tear into new toys, we would be ever mindful of the Son.  With baby Jesus' first coming, a promise was fulfilled and God's redemption plan was set into motion.  Now, for the believer, we can look back on Jesus' first coming with hope in His second coming.  Amen.