What are some special activities/traditions you do in your family to get ready for Christmas?

All around us, we hear commercials, store advertisements, and community events focused around the season of Christmas, but for the Church, we are in the season of Advent. Advent is a time of waiting before the coming of Jesus. Advent is sort of a short form of the word "adventure." Why might this season be described as an adventure?

A scripture we often share at the start of Advent focuses on John the Baptist who was all about adventure. In fact, he was bold enough to go live by himself out in the desert with just the clothes on his back and eat only locusts and wild honey. And he was waiting for something to happen!

What was John to be up to out in the desert?  Read Matthew 3:1-12.

Why was he baptizing people? John knew the Messiah, the one from God, was almost here and he wanted people to get ready. Baptism was a way of showing that they were ready to get rid of things in their lives that would get in the way of experiencing the new thing that God was about to do in the world.

Consider what might be getting in your way of really focusing on God and Jesus in this season where so many of the messages we see and hear are about gift-buying and money-spending. How can you simplify your Advent season and make room for God?

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, Open up our hearts and minds to your message for us during this Advent season. Guide us as we live in a way that is pleasing to you. In Christ's Name, Amen.