“ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 )

Advent: n. The coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important.

The Greek terms used in this passage indicate constant asking, seeking, and knocking.  God wants all of His children to seek Him out every day.  He wants us to desire, more than anything else, a personal and loving relationship with Him.  When we open ourselves to the establishment of this perfect Father/child relationship, we will allow ourselves to be healed of the scars, lies, and habits that separate us from our Savior.    

When Christians think of “Advent,” we think of Christmas.  To the believer, Advent encompasses the four weeks before Christmas day, as we prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christ's arrival in human form.  In this way, Advent becomes a time for us to wait for God to bring about the means (the birth of the Christ child) by which He will work out salvation for all who call upon His name.

Might there be another interpretation of the annual Advent season?  Maybe we shouldn't be loitering near the stable, elbowing aside the animals for a chance to peek at the perfect Son of the perfect Father.  Perhaps instead, we should be kneeling before the Father, asking for discerning eyes so that we can see Christ no matter where we stand.  The arrival of Christ, and His subsequent crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension are not meant to be a happy story that makes us feel good about what might happen to us when we die.  God put this plan into action so that we can come to Him…now!      

      Seek out your Father this Advent.  He is waiting for you, and your arrival is extremely important to Him. 

Prayer :  My loving Father, please bless me with discerning eyes, so that I may more readily see Your hand at work in my every day. Please walk with me into the dingy, cobwebbed basement of my life, and show me how to muck out all those things that clutter my heart and distract me from the close relationship You desire to have with me. Thank you for waiting for me. Amen.

Alice Ringer