“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20, English Standard Version).

Today begins a new year on the church calendar. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and commences a new year for the church, as we spend time in waiting and preparation for His coming.

The world calls us to spend the season preparing for family celebrations. We decorate our homes; we might include a manger scene depicting the birth of Christ, but many of us will also use symbols borrowed from pre-Christian pagan traditions (Christmas trees, mistletoe, etc.). We build up our credit-card debt buying presents for family members, friends, and co-workers. Those gifts might be clothing items people will wear only for Christmas celebrations, like ugly sweaters or Santa Claus t-shirts. We attend numerous parties. We celebrate “peace on earth and good will towards men” while stressing ourselves to death, trying to make certain we give our families the “perfect holiday.”

The secular holiday season is a time of preparation, but for what? Is Christ forgotten while we worship mammon and materialism on a holiday that bears His name?

Advent, however, should be a time of waiting and preparation for Christ’s coming. We mystically join the ancient Israelites as they awaited the coming of the Messiah. We reflect on how God prepared His people for the coming of Christ as a baby.

More than that, though, we prepare for His second coming. This is often overlooked in our seasonal celebrations. However, the Scripture readings in many churches remind us that we are preparing for the Lord’s return. Those who follow the Book of Common Prayer’s daily office readings will spend about two weeks in Revelation; most of the epistle readings will refer to the Lord’s return.

Perhaps the most perfect Advent song is “Joy to the World.” We usually sing it on Christmas Day. “Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let Earth receive her king!” We usually think of the baby lying in the manger while singing this song. Next time your church sings it, think about the Lord’s second coming; you might notice that the song’s lyrics apply more to Christ’s return in glory than to His birth in a manger.

The waiting and preparation of Advent should not be passive. It is much like an engagement. As young lovers await their wedding day, they should be preparing for their life together. My wife and I had a few premarital counseling sessions. We looked together for an apartment that would suit our new family. We spent time preparing not only for the wedding day, but for the transition to daily life together as husband and wife. Waiting for the wedding day was an active process.

So, how should we prepare ourselves during Advent? The world is screaming at us to spend money, put on our best reindeer antlers and Santa hats, and have fun. The Lord is calling us to remember that He came into the world, died for our sins, has ascended to the Father, is with us always, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. In the midst of the “secular holiday season,” let us prepare our hearts for a deeper relationship with Him using some of the following spiritual disciplines:

• Repentance: Santa Claus has his naughty and nice lists. The Lord has the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; and 21:27). Make certain that your name is in that book by surrendering your life by faith in Jesus Christ. Accept His free gift of salvation. The greatest gift you can give the Christ child is your heart; the greatest gift you can receive is eternal life. Even if you are already a believer in Christ, Advent is a good time to examine yourself, admit any besetting sins, acknowledge Christ’s forgiveness, and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to bring you victory over that defect.
• Prayer: Spend time drawing closer to the Lord.
• Bible study: Spend time listening to the Lord through His Word. Get to know Him better. Discover more about the hope of eternal life we have through Christ.
• Fasting: Yes, the world says we need lots of pumpkin pie, eggnog, cookies, etc. Maybe we should take some time saying “no” to indulgence, as a way of reminding ourselves that Jesus is the reason for the season.
• Praise: Yes, there is a lot of great “holiday” music out there, along with some overplayed tunes. I won’t say too much about Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” However, there are great songs that speak of Christ’s birth and its significance: “We Are the Reason” by David Meece is one of my favorites; I am particularly fond of the album Three Ships by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, which has a blend of traditional Christmas carols and original songs that glorify Christ. Find songs that fill your heart with the joy of the Lord, which will last longer and move deeper than the festive seasonal “joy.”

May the Lord increase hope, peace, joy, and love in our hearts as we seek Him throughout Advent and into the coming year.

“Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen” (from the Book of Common Prayer).

How will you seek Christ through the Advent season? Share your thoughts in the comments field below.

Copyright © 2025 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.