Keep Watch, Be Ready, See the Glory of the Lord

Advent is a season of hopeful anticipation, in which we await the coming of the Lord. It is a time of looking forward and making preparations. Because we don’t know the hour of the Lord’s return, we are encouraged to keep watch.

God came to us, in the person of Jesus, in order to walk among us. He taught and healed, loved and forgave, and redeemed the world through his death and resurrection. He has promised to return to us, to gather us up and bear us to his eternal kingdom. We are told to be ready.

As we look ahead during this advent season, let us not forget that God is already here, comforting and guiding us through the Holy Spirit. We can feel the presence of God in the love we share, the beauty of the changing season, the gifts we have been given to share with those in need. Throughout this season, we are exhorted to see the glory of the Lord in all things.

In the season of Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of Emmanuel, God With Us. The birth of Jesus is a time of quiet reverence and joyful exuberance, We see the glory of the Lord in the light of a star, and hear it in the song of the angels. Let us be inspired by the joy of the season to serve God and his kingdom as we await his coming again.