Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

I recently heard someone pose an interesting question: What would God want for Christmas? As I thought about the question, I couldn’t help but think that what God wants for Christmas isn’t any different than what He wants from us every day of our lives. So maybe, the better question is: What has God’s desire been for humanity since He cast the earth into existence? The Bible is explicitly clear that the Lord yearns for His creation to be redeemed and for us to be reconciled to him. He hungers for us to be able to experience the world as He intended. Life to the full. Life in the Kingdom . . . on earth as it is in Heaven.

Life where. . .
. . . widows and orphans are cared for. (James 1:27)
. . . the hungry are fed. (Isaiah 58:7)
. . . the homeless are given shelter. (Isaiah 58:7)
. . . the naked are clothed. (Isaiah 58:7)
. . . creation is no longer subjected to frustration. (Romans 8:20)
. . . we don’t pass judgment on one another. (Romans 14:13)
. . . we forgive because we have been forgiven. (Matthew 18:21-35)
. . . our citizenship is in Heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
. . . we love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31)
. . . we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30)

Is this not what is promised with the return of Christ to earth?

Advent is a season of preparation for the coming of Christ, both at incarnation and for the second coming.

From the Latin word adventus, advent means “coming” translated from the Greek word parousia commonly used in reference to the second coming of Christ.

So as we await the coming of our King this Christmas, may this be our prayer:

O Come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the son of God appear

Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee o Israel

O come thou dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight

Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee o Israel

Oh come Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease
Fill all the world with heaven’s peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

But let’s not stop there. As it is written, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” (2 Peter 3:11-12)

So this Christmas, let’s stop asking how can we get what we want? And start asking how can we give God what He wants? After all, shouldn’t that be the purpose of our lives?