Joy to the World: The Advent Season
We have entered the season of Advent. Traditionally, Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is a season of waiting, which might seem like an odd thing to celebrate.
Waiting is often uncomfortable. We don’t like to wait for things, especially in our world today where with the click of a button, we can have a package delivered to our doorstep the very next morning. I’m sure we can all remember when we were kids and the anticipation leading up to Christmas. Would you describe that time as enjoyable? Why, then, do we celebrate a season of waiting?
“A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” Isaiah 40:3
“As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.”’” Mark 1:2–3
Advent is a season where we prepare for the coming Messiah. We celebrate the waiting, because we know that we do not hope without certainty. God promised a Savior for the world, and we can trust that promise. Even though Isaiah lived hundreds of years before Jesus was born, there was never a doubt. A Messiah was coming. That’s why our waiting can be celebrated!
There’s a second element to Advent, however. We are still waiting. Even though Jesus has come, the world still waits for the full realization of that redemption, where everything will be made new and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. We live in the “already but not yet.” The Redeemer has already come, but the world is not yet fully redeemed. We are waiting, but again, we wait with certain hope. Redemption is coming.
A favorite Christmas song for generations is the song Joy to the World. This song is written by Isaac Watts, but did you know that he didn’t originally write is as a Christmas song? Instead, he wrote it as a poem adaptation of Psalm 98. He was celebrating that one day, Jesus will return as a victorious King who will establish His Kingdom and throne on earth forever. He was looking forward to the second coming of Christ, the one we’re still waiting for!
Take time in this season of Advent to prepare your heart. Thank God that our hope is certain and God’s promises will always be fulfilled. Celebrate that Jesus the Messiah came to be with us, that God’s Spirit dwells within us, and that one day, Jesus will come back to establish His Kingdom and reign with all of us, sons and daughters of the King. We can celebrate in the waiting, because our God is good, our God is faithful, and our God is love.
