Breathe in the wet earth
Breathe in my mercy
Breathe in wafts of breeze
Breathe in my Spirit
Breathe in red poinsettias
Breathe in my artistry
Breathe in owls cooing
Breathe my approbation
Breathe in candles glimmering
Breathe in gifts of hope
Breathe in massive fir trees
Breathe my complex weaving
Breathe in shafts of sunrise
Breathe in Light and Truth
Breathe in ringing church bells
Breathe my love for you
Just breathe . . . and hope expectantly!
I love Christmas preps and the celebrations. I love the music that triggers memories and incites joy. But in the damp gray of early December in Detroit, in a season full of to-do lists, gift lists, shopping, cooking, special events and gatherings, I need to pause.
I need to stop in order to pay attention to what is hinted underneath the noise, and breathe in essential truths hidden in the season. I say “hidden” because they are the new normal in our culture, fun stuff that masquerades as the essence of Christmas: lighted evergreens, jolly Santa Claus, snow and sleigh rides, reindeer statues on the lawn, jingle bells, wreaths. I am not against these—you should see my house and see my delight at the reindeer and wreaths as I walk the neighborhood. The danger is that they so often become the focus.
You know the truth that incited this entire holiday: Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth in human form to save us! Focusing on that miracle, that spectacular display of love, changes Christmas from mere festivities to deep-felt awe and wonder.
Have you added to your personal sacred rhythms the practice of Advent, a guided celebration of the four weeks before Christmas? We first learned how to observe it in an intimate family context while visiting missionary friends, Bob and Joyce Carlson, who lived in a village in Mali north of our Côte d’Ivoire home. It was early December, the windy dry harmattan season out in the countryside. In the simplicity of candle-lighting and singing inside a mud hut, we found our hearts prepared in a new way for Christmas joy and took the practice home with us.
This first week of Advent is a time to pause and reflect on the hope that we have because the Messiah came, and will come again.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. . . For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isa. 9:2,6-7 NIV)
It happened! Pause. Take time to think about the fact that what Isaiah prophesied, that this momentous event of the birth of our forever King would happen, did happen. Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Bernis underlines the miracle of how Jesus fulfilled a huge number of prophecies concerning his coming this way:
“There are hundreds of Messianic prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures that foretell specific information about God’s promised Messiah. Mathematician Peter Stoner looked at the statistical probability of one man fulfilling even a handful of them. In his book, Science Speaks, Stoner revealed that the chance any one man might fulfill just eight of those Messianic prophecies in the Old Covenant is one in one hundred quadrillion – one in 10 to the 17th power, or one in 100,000,000,000,000,000.”[1]
Yet against all probability, Jesus the Messiah was born and lived and died and rose again, fulfilling what had been predicted!
There were prophecies about his birth, and others, even in those Isaiah verses cited above, that also exult in the hope (the confident assurance!) that he is coming again and will be our perfect King forever! The world around us is rife with war, hate crimes, controversies, calamities. But we know that the story is not over yet. The King is coming!
So how can we thoughtfully incorporate this Advent season into the sacred rhythms that keep us growing spiritually? It is helpful when we attend church communities that highlight our joyful remembrance of Jesus’ birth and our precious hope of his return. It can be done in our homes, too.
We still had children with us when we began lighting Advent candles on our dinner table years ago. Keeping it simple, we sang “O Come O Come Emmanuel” every night at supper as we lit that week’s candle, reminding ourselves of what the season is really about. “Advent” means “the coming,” and Messiah came! On Christmas Day, we sang “Joy to the World!” We had learned about using an Advent wreath from our friends, something that holds four candles in a circle, one for each week. Ours consisted of four cup-size clay pots bought in the local market to use as candle holders, set on a clay tray (find it in the photo above). We had a fifth candle in the center, for celebrating Christ’s birth. We were taking time to remember. To breathe in truth, and be grateful. And often we had guests from our community. The candles brought a great opportunity for sharing what they represented.
Here in Detroit we can dig deeper into the tradition, buy colored candles and an Advent wreath, and read Advent devotionals. They follow the themes of the four weeks leading to Christmas. We can even add in hymns chosen for each phase:
- The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the “Prophet’s Candle.” The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival.
- The second candle represents faith and is called “Bethlehem’s Candle.” Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David.
- The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the “Shepherd’s Candle.” To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the color rose signifies joy.
- The fourth candle represents peace and is called the “Angel’s Candle.” The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace–He came to bring people close to God and to each other again.
The (optional) fifth candle represents light and purity and is called “Christ’s candle.” It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day.[2]
Hymns that fit the themes:
Week 1: Hope – Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Charles Wesley)
Week 2: Preparation (faith) – O Come, O come Emmanuel (John Mason Neale)
Week 3: Joy – Joy to the World (Isaac Watts)
Week 4: Love – Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley)[3]
Then on Christmas Day, choose one or more that say it all to you!
There are many prophecies that can be read to accompany each theme.
We are currently in the first week, reminding ourselves of the long wait that Israel experienced as they waited for their Messiah to show up, and our own long wait as we long for his second coming. On Sunday, the verses in Isaiah 9:2,6-7 (see above) are usually read, and can be repeated at each lighting of the candle throughout the week. Remember: a light has dawned! A just and righteous Forever King is coming! God himself will make this happen!
The true light has already come:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12 NIV)
He has come, he is the light, and anyone following him will have the light of life!
Light the candle and remember who is the true light. Sing a song of longing for Messiah and his everlasting reign. Contemplate the Word and the way God declared that a Savior, his Chosen One, would come and change the whole course of history. Be grateful that we live in the light as we follow him—not in the darkness that is all around! Breathe in his amazing love!
This theme of “hope” does not connote “I hope so” but “I am excitedly waiting for what is coming.” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology states that its use in the Word has this meaning: [4]“To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.”
Let’s wait expectantly!
[1] https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/prophecies-about-messiahs-lineage-and-birth
[2] https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/the-beautiful-meaning-and-purpose-of-advent.html
[3] Ibid.
Linnea's Lines 
Thanks so much for sharing this during this busy time! Conrad’s Dad, a very strong Christian, was just saying to us he didn’t know much about Advent being talked about in their facility’s church service he sometimes leads. This will give us more to share with him.
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So glad this came at the right time! There is actually a lot more that could be helpful information, but the crosswalk website (see the footnote) is a great place to start.
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