Thankful Joy! Advent Devotional #1
November 27, 2022
Devotion for the First Sunday of Advent
Photo by Ava Tyler on Unsplash
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only…Therefore
be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. -Matthew 24:3, 44
As is a long-time tradition, the first Sunday of Advent points us to the Second Coming of Christ.
It presupposes that we understand a basic truth. He came once to show us the Father, announce the Kingdom, make the way of salvation, and commission his servants to spread the good news of God’s ultimate triumph.
He would come again to usher in that Kingdom in power and glory once and for all.
That is why we sing a Second Coming hymn in anticipate of Christmas.
Joy to the world,
The Lord has come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room
And Heaven and nature sing.
He rules the world
With truth and grace
And makes the nations proves
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love.
-Isaac Watts
When know, roughly, when he came the first time.
We have no idea when he will come again.
What we know is that it is always just around the corner and Advent reminds us to always be standing on tiptoes, ready, joyfully expectant, diligently faithful, and always full of wonder like a child at Christmas.
That is because the very best Christmas is yet to come.
And for that, we can be thankful in advance.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy.