This is the first year my family is celebrating Advent using candles in a wreath, a Jesse tree, reading nightly devotionals… the whole nine yards. There’s something shut up in my bones that wants to bring Jesus alive in a new way for my children, family, and friends.
By the way, you don’t have to go to great lengths to take part in Advent. You can be unique in your own celebration of His coming. There’s no need to purchase anything. God honors worship from a pure heart, and Advent is all about worshiping Him and the authentic splendor of His arrival.
Traditionally, every Sunday throughout the Advent season, a candle is lit. The first one represents hope.
The genealogy of Christ, from the beginning of creation all the way to His birth, represents hope from sin that tries to ravage our souls like cancer. It serves to remind us how God used ordinary humans, both men and women, to bring about life for ALL.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.” 3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah
-Psalm 89:1-4
The Jesse tree claims its name from King David’s father. God made a promise to build up David’s throne to all generations, and if you know anything about King David, then you know he was not only a man after God’s own heart, but he also made terrible, sinful mistakes in the midst of it all. Let’s face it, every Christian can relate to having a heart to please God and still find ourselves wrapped up in moments of satisfying the flesh instead.
Here’s the hope: Even in the midst of our sin, God is faithful and unchanging. When He speaks a promise it’s forevermore with no end. Though David didn’t always do right, God knew the condition of his heart and kept a covenant concerning him. When future generations birthed from that very same bloodline chose to ignore our covenant keeping God, He sent His only Son to fulfill the promise.
And isn’t that just like our God? As long as we have breath He will continually pursue us presenting hope-filled opportunities to reconcile us with Him and His unchanging, ever-faithful, Word. The Word became flesh… (See John 1:14)
No matter how difficult today is, I want you to know you serve a covenant keeping God. A God who doesn’t give up on His chosen generation. And, friend, every generation is chosen. He created us all on purpose for a purpose.
Your life matters and your God is waiting for you to grasp hope in a brand new way!
Maybe this season is a hard one. Maybe you were dreading the holidays because you miss someone desperately and hope feels dead. Let me tell you this…
Hope can never die because our Jesus is alive! (Tweet that)
On this second day of advent let’s hold tightly to the promise of our covenant keeping God… Hope is coming!
Love,
Jennifer
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