Advent

Our family has always celebrated and participated in the tradition of Advent.  As a child, counting down the days before Christmas was marked by a chocolate German calendar that held the power of this five-year-old to believe behind each door held a chocolate treat that ushered in the coming of Christmas.  As a child, the lighting of the Advent candles, the tradition of church services planned to honor the season, the personal opening of paper doors to reveal chocolate surprises - all of it held a magical sense of anticipation.

As a young mother, I kept my childhood traditions of Advent alive.  Each season my girls had Advent calendars that we taped to the refrigerator.  Each calendar held its owner's imaginations captive to see what chocolate awaited them on the appointed day of opening.  We incorporated the lighting of the Advent candles in our home and still practice Advent today.

One of my personal preparations for Advent begins with my heart.  I begin reading Luke on the first of December.  I ask  Holy Spirit to show me new revelations on an old story.  He never disappoints.  Never.

This morning I was held captive to a portion of Luke that I had never seen before.  (On a side note, that's the power of reading and building a life around a book that is alive, active, and sharper than a two-edged sword!)  In Luke 1:39 - 45 we discover the power of shared experience.  Mary has an encounter with Gabriel.  Her next response is to run to her cousin, Elizbeth because what the angel told her included Elizabeth.

I love that scripture says she hurried to Elizabeth.  The fact that she put on her proverbial tennis shoes and high tailed it to Elizabeth tells me Mary, young and inexperienced in life, had a maturity of faith.  She took the message that was told to her as truth.  With this truth, she ran to either confirm or rejoice or both with her cousin.

Then, we see another aspect of the role of the Holy Spirit by what happens when Mary bursts through the door of Elizabeth's house.  At just the hearing of her voice, Elizabeth's baby responds and then she is filled with the Holy Spirit.  Spirt recognizes Spirit.

But look what happens as a result of Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Things told in hushed whispers by Gabriel to Mary are now known by Elizabeth.  She knows Mary is blessed  She knows the baby she carries is the long-awaited Messiah - her Lord.  And then she declares a blessing over Mary:  "She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled."

All this occurred before any conversation with words took place.  Sprit seeks Spirit and truth is proclaimed.

Advent is the looking forward to and anticipation of an event.  I'd love to encourage you to put some personal time into preparing your own heart for the Season.  Whatever activity brings peace and hope into this season and draws you closer to the One we anticipate, do it.  I pray you find new treasures in this holiday as you prepare for the magic that is Advent!