Intro to Advent
Advent

This devotional is written by Matt Coombs. Matt is one of the leaders at St Mary's and is married to Pip.
Genesis 1:14
And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons, and days and years.
The word seasons in the creation narrative actually means appointed times. Other translations may say 'sacred times' instead of seasons.
I know this year has been utterly crazy, but don't you also think, how is it the end of November already? Where did the time go? That feeling often happens when there aren't moments that properly break up the year. This year has been a bit like that for me. Extended periods in my flat, no proper holidays, birthdays not being properly marked.
This word 'seasons' refers to the ways we as humans interact with time.
The poet says: there are these movements in the sky of the celestial bodies: sun, moon and stars that break up time. The sun and moon break the day into 24 hour periods. The cycles of the moon break up the months, and the movement of the earth and the sun breaks up the years.
The point of this breaking things up into segments of time, these seasons, appointed times, sacred times... is to create space for us to meet with God.
The law of Moses sets out a pattern for God's people to rest on the sabbath. A rhythm or work and rest. Work for six days, rest on the seventh (Leviticus 23:3). This is ancient wisdom that we should rediscover - you are not a machine and need rest.
It also sets out times for festivals, or sacred times at appointed times or seasons (that word again) (Lev 23:4,5). Step out of your usual routine and take a look back to the past and look to the future, celebrate, otherwise each day will blur into the next.
Advent is one of these seasons, these sacred, appointed times. To stop, to slow down, to look back and prepare to celebrate that Jesus has come. It is a time of anticipation. A season of hope.
I wonder if you're truly anticipating Christmas? Have you seen a child excitedly expectant for Christmas Day - physically hopping up and down, breathless with excitement.
Do you feel like that?
No, me neither.
The seasons before this season of advent we have been battered and bruised. This year has taken its toll. It's hard to anticipate anything good because we are so expectant that things will be worse. Our hearts have developed layers of resistance. Calluses. Coldness.
This means that we lose the ability to anticipate. To hope.
Instead of mounting joy and expectation - what we really think is please don't let us down like everything else.
Advent is a season where we open ourselves up to God and we ask God to come into those places where our hearts have lost the ability to be filled with wonder and awe and anticipation. We ask God to go in and heal and transform and restore and reconcile and put back together what is broken.
Advent is this deeply intimate, personal season, where there are things that have gone on in the last season in my heart, but at this appointed time I am asking you, God, to do something about that, because I can't do it on my own.
The thing about having seasons in life and rhythms is that sometimes we are filled with joy and sometimes we are filled with despair. Sometimes we celebrate and sometimes we grieve.
The thing about the season of advent is that we ask God to meet us not necessarily way up on the mountain, but down in the valley. Not in the ways we have it all together but in the ways we are barely holding on.
Pray this morning that God would gently soften your heart. That healing would come. That anticipation and hope would begin to bubble up.
I know this year has been utterly crazy, but don't you also think, how is it the end of November already? Where did the time go? That feeling often happens when there aren't moments that properly break up the year. This year has been a bit like that for me. Extended periods in my flat, no proper holidays, birthdays not being properly marked.
This word 'seasons' refers to the ways we as humans interact with time.
The poet says: there are these movements in the sky of the celestial bodies: sun, moon and stars that break up time. The sun and moon break the day into 24 hour periods. The cycles of the moon break up the months, and the movement of the earth and the sun breaks up the years.
The point of this breaking things up into segments of time, these seasons, appointed times, sacred times... is to create space for us to meet with God.
The law of Moses sets out a pattern for God's people to rest on the sabbath. A rhythm or work and rest. Work for six days, rest on the seventh (Leviticus 23:3). This is ancient wisdom that we should rediscover - you are not a machine and need rest.
It also sets out times for festivals, or sacred times at appointed times or seasons (that word again) (Lev 23:4,5). Step out of your usual routine and take a look back to the past and look to the future, celebrate, otherwise each day will blur into the next.
Advent is one of these seasons, these sacred, appointed times. To stop, to slow down, to look back and prepare to celebrate that Jesus has come. It is a time of anticipation. A season of hope.
I wonder if you're truly anticipating Christmas? Have you seen a child excitedly expectant for Christmas Day - physically hopping up and down, breathless with excitement.
Do you feel like that?
No, me neither.
The seasons before this season of advent we have been battered and bruised. This year has taken its toll. It's hard to anticipate anything good because we are so expectant that things will be worse. Our hearts have developed layers of resistance. Calluses. Coldness.
This means that we lose the ability to anticipate. To hope.
Instead of mounting joy and expectation - what we really think is please don't let us down like everything else.
Advent is a season where we open ourselves up to God and we ask God to come into those places where our hearts have lost the ability to be filled with wonder and awe and anticipation. We ask God to go in and heal and transform and restore and reconcile and put back together what is broken.
Advent is this deeply intimate, personal season, where there are things that have gone on in the last season in my heart, but at this appointed time I am asking you, God, to do something about that, because I can't do it on my own.
The thing about having seasons in life and rhythms is that sometimes we are filled with joy and sometimes we are filled with despair. Sometimes we celebrate and sometimes we grieve.
The thing about the season of advent is that we ask God to meet us not necessarily way up on the mountain, but down in the valley. Not in the ways we have it all together but in the ways we are barely holding on.
Pray this morning that God would gently soften your heart. That healing would come. That anticipation and hope would begin to bubble up.
Recent
Archive
2021
January
The Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
September
EvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the City
October
Prayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansHow to read the bibleConquering ComparisonThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit
November
Elijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaHow to PrayPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPhilemonIntro to Advent
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments