The word “Advent” means “to come,” and therefore carries the idea of expectation. The season of Advent, which begins the Christian year, reminds us to celebrate a God, who full of grace and relentless love for broken ones, comes to us again and again, not just at the manger, or at the end of the age, but continuously, especially when we are at the “end of our rope.” The season of “expecting Him to show up” should be the first season of each Christian year, because His presence, and presentness is at the heart of our faith. He is Immanuel, “God with us.” In John 15 when we are told to abide in Him, that very word “abide” means not just “to remain,” but it has a transitive meaning which infers “to remain, expecting someone to show up.” Our whole Christian life is about “abiding” in the Him with the expectation that he is going to show up. When I seek Hin the secret place of prayer and intimacy, I expect Him to show up, and He always does. As I live out my daily life, facing trials, temptation, and responsibilities, I, by faith “abide” in Him, expecting Him to show up, and show off, and again, He always does victorioussly. If it is true that apart from Him I can do nothing, then it must also be true but I’m expected to never do anything apart from expecting Him to show up, and when necessary, show off. No wonder Colossians 1:18 says, that He is to have preeminence in all things. Verse 19 of that same chapter says that “all the fullness dwells in Him.” If ALL the fullness dwells in Him, then He better keep showing up, if I’m going to carry fullness in my life. Happy Advent!!!
