Romans 15:4
“For whatsoever things were written in times past, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Commemorating Advent wasn’t something my family did as I grew up—we were not much of a church-going family, even at Christmas. Even though my husband and I raised our girls in a Christ-centered home, we didn’t start the Advent traditions with them and it wasn’t until later in life that I came to appreciate the meaning behind the Advent season. The word “Advent” means “coming,” a time of preparation, reflection, and anticipation of the coming of Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s birth and His promised second coming:
• The Wreath: represents the unending love of God
• The Evergreens: hope of eternal life
• The Four Candles: represent the four weeks until Christmas Day
• The Fifth Candle: represents Christ’s coming on Christmas Day
Tradition holds that it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day—the one nearest to November 30—and that one of the five candles is to be lit after reading a passage of scripture that corresponds to that particular week. There are three purple candles, one pink, and the fifth and central white candle is the “Christ Candle” which is lit on Christmas Day.
Today’s purple candle is called the “Candle of Hope” or the “Prophecy Candle” which symbolizes the hope that came with Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, and the expectation and anticipation of the Messiah coming again. We typically light the candle of the week at dinnertime. On each successive Sunday, the one for that week is lit along with the previous week’s candle.
And so, let us prepare! Prepare for His coming, this Christ of Hope! In Isaac Watts’ well-known hymn, “Joy to the World,” the words, “Let every heart prepare Him room” have even more special meaning as we begin Advent. How shall you prepare?
Lord, as we enter this beautiful Advent season, prepare our hearts to focus on the central message of the season—Jesus—and the Hope that is found in Him alone. He came as a baby, lived among us, and then willingly died on the cross so that we would have eternal life. Shine Your light on our hearts, O God, to reveal anything that separates us from You or anything that might ruin our preparations. Thank you, Father, for Jesus, Who is our Hope.
