Friendship Community Church

Archive for November, 2011

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

The season called Advent begins this month on November 27th. It lasts for 28 days. It is a season of days meant for us to prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christmas, the birth of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus. For many, this season is nonexistent, primarily because our society celebrates Christmas apart from the coming of Jesus, but also because even Christians become caught up in the secular ideas of what the coming of Christmas is all about. As your pastor, it is my prayer that you set aside these 28 days to prepare yourself spiritually for the celebration of Jesus’ birth and what that means to us as Christians. If we look back to the verse above from the story of the days before Jesus was born, we hear of how Mary and Joseph were “interrupted” from the life they had known, forced to move to a different place, and set out into a manger to receive their first child. The bible says, “…because there was no place for them in the inn.” When it comes to the 28 days of Advent, when we are asked by our church to prepare ourselves spiritually for the birth of Jesus, it may feel like we’re being displaced from the typical experiences we usually enjoy this time of year. To prepare a quiet place to pray each day of Advent for insight into what Jesus’ birth means to me, to make time each day in this season to read a portion of the stories surrounding Jesus’ birth – this will mean that I may have to forego the hectic pace that others want me to keep this time of year. It may mean that I will have to learn a new rhythm of living in these 28 days before Christmas, so that I will be able to feed my soul with prayer and scripture and a focused listening for what the Spirit of God is telling me in my life. It may mean that I and my family will be intentional in setting aside time together to read the stories of Jesus and pray together to Him. The season of Advent will require us to slow down, quiet down, and pay more attention to what the birth of Jesus means to us. So this year, I invite you to light a candle every day and make time to say a prayer to the Lord to prepare your heart and soul for His coming. I encourage you to gather your family each day, perhaps before you go to bed or before you watch your tv programs, so that you can read a part of the bible to learn about Jesus’ birth. I pray that you enter into these 28 days purposefully to allow the Lord to prepare your heart and mind for Christmas. Let the world race forward, while you and yours slow down and quiet down intentionally for the sake of God’s Son.

Pastor Michele Allen