Advent Thoughts

Just came back from cellgroup meeting. Was supposed to be leading it tonight (well, its actually yesterday night, by the time i get this posted) on the topic of Advent. We're currently using "A Journey through Advent" 31-Day Guide by Rob Frost, and did the book of Isaiah for the first week. Having scant through much of Isaiah, I plowed through the first 39 chapters, which were full of prophecies of God's judgement on Israel and some historical background...those were pretty bleak and gloomy bits! As such, was so happy when I had finally got to chapter 40 (no wonder Isaiah used the metaphor of "soaring on wings as eagles" in 40:31...how apt after all those gloom and doom) to chapter 66 where its filled with prophecies of His Comfort!!

Back to the topic of Advent. I was curious what Advent really meant and so did a bit of research. The word "advent" actually meant "coming" or "arrival". There are two focus:
a) Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ (the 1st Advent...which has already happened); and
b) Anticipation of the return of Christ the King (the 2nd Advent...which would be happening).

So, essentially, we are living in between the 1st and the 2nd Advent....in between times!! Was just thinking that boy, am I glad that the 1st Advent has come and that we can now celebrate and enjoy the gift of Christ and what His death on the cross has done for us! HOWEVER, am I truly ready to anticipate and receive the 2nd Advent of His returning? Hmmm, am really unsure about that, if i look inside myself, as well as the number of my unsaved friends and family members...

I was sharing this in cg, and my 60-year old friend Marion exclaimed that she too was not quite ready to meet God...Ros and Ceri were however saying that we would never be quite ready to meet God, be it whether He takes us away now through death, or if Jesus really comes now. The point is that whilst we would always fall short of his perfect and high benchmark, we continue our best to be "ready" in our daily lives 'cos He said in His words that He would come suddenly (Matthew 24:34-51; Luke 12:35-48).

Its true. We are never sure of how many tomorrows there would be for each one of us. We can only be sure of the presence of Today... the Now. As such, we really should live our present to the fullest --- in love, in hope and in obedience to His Words. Carpe Diem!