Through Dec. 24 I will be posting a brief Advent meditation each evening. If you read the “Thoughts on Advent” below, the choice of posting them during the hours of darkness will make sense, but you can, of course, read them at whatever time is most convenient for you.

Please respond to any of the scripture passages, meditations or comments that you find especially significant, have questions about, or have other thoughts on. I’m hoping to engage with other believers and seekers about the meaning of this season, not just post my own thoughts. Have a good Advent, and look forward to a joyous Christmas!

Thoughts on Advent

Isaiah 9:1-2

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
    on them light has shined.

I’ve never seen this written anywhere, but have always considered it appropriate that Advent comes during the time of year just before the shortest day of the year. As night falls earlier each day, we’re in the season where it seems darkness is winning the battle against the light. But we know that soon things will reverse, and the days will start to gain the upper hand.

By tradition, Advent is the season in which we prepare for the coming of Christ to earth. Primarily it has focused on the final return, what we sometimes call the Second Coming, but it also recalls the coming of Jesus as an infant in the manger at Bethlehem and the coming of Christ into our hearts.

In all of these, though, we tend to let the joy (often false) of the secular holiday season lighten the mood too much. When we fail to acknowledge the darkness, we can’t really see what a gift the light is.

This might sound a bit depressing, but it really isn’t. One of the reasons so many people face the holiday season with anxiety and depression is the way popular culture demands it be a time of unrelieved happiness. Not only are we supposed to forget about our cares, but we’re made to feel guilty if we don’t do so.

With its forward focus, Advent reminds us that the victory God promises is no less real when it’s in the future instead of the present. In fact, most of scripture is the story of God’s people experiencing pain and suffering, but being able to endure it because of faith in God’s promise for the future.

So as you find times of joy and happiness during this season, consider yourselves blessed and be grateful for those glimpses into an even better future. But when your mood doesn’t match the exuberance of the TV commercials, that’s OK. God is with us in the dark times as well as the bright times.

And even in the darkness, we know that, in the end, the light will be victorious.