As of last week, the Christian church entered into the Season of Advent. Too few Christians actually grasp Advent (let alone celebrate the Season of Advent). The problem comes from too much commercialism. It used to be the end of Thanksgiving the big box stores would begin celebrating Christmas for us (Black Friday). Then, the Christmas items would begin to appear in the stores after Halloween. When I was at the store this year, Christmas items were out in back of the Halloween displays as Halloween was being marked down a week before October 31.
We hear so much about “cultural appropriation,” yet, our secular culture attempts to hijack the Christmas celebration and reduce it to commercial sales, feeding an envious / covetous impulse and limiting a three month event to one day in December. By December 27, all thoughts of Christmas are placed on the front sidewalk to be hauled away quickly. “… when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (cf. Luke 18) Two-thousand years ago, the people of Israel were in expectation of a Messiah. It was all figured out who and what he was going to be. He was going to be the answer to all their desires in the world and he was to bring peace and harmony to what seemed upside down civilization. The only problem … when Jesus comes … He doesn’t fit the job description they had in mind. This is something for us to think about before the Christmas Season. This is the purpose of Advent (as we await Him “to come”). What are we expecting? And, are we too quick to judge the people of Israel by not seeing the same weakness/failure in ourselves?
I bring this reflection to mind because I, myself, had to be reminded the role the Advent Season plays. I was listening to a song/poem being played on the radio on one of those long drives home. It brought me back to my adolescence when I heard Grandpa Jones (from Hee Haw … for those who remember Grandpa Jones) reciting the story of: The Christmas Guest. There are not many popular “Advent Hymns” out there to choose from (except for O Come, O Come Emmanuel). However, this song/poem summarizes the Advent Season perfectly.
Who, exactly, are we expecting on Christmas? Are we matching the “job description” of being a faith filled Christian or is Jesus going to be a disappointment to us … as He was to the world 2000 years ago? Are we ready to greet Jesus on His terms? (P.S. by the way … Johnny Cash/ Andy Griffith / Reba McEntire did a great rendition of The Christmas Guest as well. I hope you will look it up or listen to it sometime this Advent Season as you prepare for your Christmas.)