advent
awaiting
by: Julie Cloninger, HFL Team
30
How are you entering this season of Advent? With a bang, or a whisper, with dread, excitement, anxiety, or a quiet joy? Perhaps you have never intentionally practiced Advent…
Advent is the historical first season of the Church where she waits in eager anticipation for the arrival of Jesus, both as a baby (again) and to finally and triumphantly reunite heaven and earth. As believers and apprentices of Jesus, we can enter the season of waiting with hope, peace, love, and joy, but do we?
Longing, discontent, and an unsettled feeling are often discussed amongst true followers of Christ. It isn’t that we want to be ungrateful, but our hearts long for home. We were created for the perfect union of our souls with God’s. We were made in the garden for a life of walking and talking with God. And until he comes again and reunites heaven and earth, there is a deep longing we should feel. We long for shalom, the eternal goodness of all being well with the world.
I have compiled questions for your reflection during this Advent season. My prayer is that your reflections will posture your heart to receive Christ’s coming anew this Advent season. Please meditate on one question per day. If you have time in your schedule to walk as you answer the question, I encourage that body practice to combine with your meditation. If you have the time to journal, you might want to journal your answers or even draw images of your answers. You might create an Advent reflection multimedia journal- the sky is the limit!
There are no right answers. Let this practice of thoughtful meditation be a combination of thinking, feeling, and doing. We each have a natural inclination- quick to think, feel, or act. I encourage you to lean in to your primary way of being, but not to neglect the other ways of being. May this season of waiting form you; draw your attention to Jesus and all that he did/is doing/will do; and focus your heart on hope, peace, love, and joy.
Day 1: What has your experience with hope been?
Day 2: What are you hoping for today?
Day 3: What assurance do you need today?
Day 4: When did you last feel despair?
Day 5: What/who do you need to forgive today?
Day 6: How does your relationship with food reflect your hope?