A Prayer for Advent

Here we are in Advent, and I haven’t yet set up the Advent wreath or figured out if I’m going to read something different for my daily devotional time. Can you relate?

Whether we are super organized and have all of our Christmas shopping already done (and yes I do actually know a few people in this enviable position) or we are catching our breath, wondering where November went, it’s all grace. I am guessing God is more delighted that we’re preparing our hearts for Jesus rather than him chastising us for being a wee bit late.

Advent used to be a time of fasting, not feasting. Similar to Lent in that it’d be a season of preparing for the feast of Christmas. Culturally we’ve turned things around, however, and for many people, Christmas ends on the 26^th. I so respect those who observe Advent in the historic sense, but I’m so much a creature of culture that I tend to do a bit of both – I set up the tree around now and have been known to listen to Christmas carols before Christmas Eve, but we like to observe Advent as a family and definitely like to extend the Christmas celebrations to Epiphany (for us even something as simple as eating our evening meal in the dining room makes it more festive).

However you’re celebrating the season, I hope you will sense God’s presence, drawing you closer to him.

Here’s a prayer from the first entry in Celebrating Christmas, which focuses on light. You can read the introduction and this first meditation in this sample, courtesy of BRF, my publisher. And yes, you can read this book day by day during Advent (it has 25 chapters) or while curled up by the Christmas tree during the twelve days of Christmas.

Jesus, you bring light and life. As I yield to you, your presence within me burns away that which is not holy. Help me to welcome your clarifying light, that I might be free of any sin that clings. May your light within be a gentle and welcoming beacon, a signal in these dark times of a safe haven. Amen

To buy a copy of Celebrating Christmas, please visit a Christian bookshop if you can. Here’s a list of places to purchase, including online.