Advent Matters
December is the month of joy as we honor the Advent that brought peace on earth and goodwill to all men. Advent means the “arrival” and signifies the start of an event or the arrival of a person. It is a four-week season of remembering and celebrating the arrival of Jesus on Earth. A time to reflect on the unexpected nature of Jesus’ humble birth, and how no room could be found for His birth.
December is also significant because it is the last month of the year, a time when we begin to wrap up one year, and look forward to unwrapping another. The old will soon be passing away to make way for the new, and there is a sense of preparing for this transition. There is the excitement of ending the year with a bang and welcoming the beginning of the next year with the clang of bells!
It is a normal practice in many households to schedule in a time of cleaning and cleansing just before the end of an old year and the beginning of the new year. A day or two is usually set apart to segregate old, unwanted stuff and whitewash or repaint the home and re-arrange it in a fresh new way. In India, this is a time to weed out the unnecessary which we tend to hoard over the years, clear the home before decorating for festival. The new year also sees the family dressed in new finery in a fresh new home offering thanks to God for the new beginning, and petitioning for His grace in the new year as in the old!
Heart Matters
Every time we draw close to the end of an year and stand on the threshold of a new, we need to do a similar cleaning and cleansing of ourselves. We need to empty out the junk, scrape out the layers, and let go of the unwanted. It is a time to throw out the baggage that has grown or accumulated the past year.
We need to refurbish ourselves, restore our beings, replenish our store and recover some things that have been lost. This should be a time to recover ourselves in newness, both out and in. Then the new year will indeed be a new beginning and a fresh new start.
We need to let go of old wounds, redundant thoughts, lingering hurtful memories, etc. It is important to divest ourselves of past hurts, wrongs, unforgiveness, bitterness, malice and vengeance. We must put away wrong notions, let go of grievances, forgive the past, kick out the negatives in our lives.
Refreshed and Refurbished
As we unclutter our minds, empty out our inner closets, cleanse our inner sanctum sanctorum, and junk out all that is clogging us, we make way for the new, the right, the fresh, and the blessing.
We make room for new resolutions of love, peace joy, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faithfulness, longsuffering and self-control.
It is paramount to refurbish ourselves by scrapping away the scabs of old wounds, cleanse ourselves with the blood of the Lamb, wash everything by His Word, refill & replenish with the Spirit’s unction.
We allow the darkness of rejection & retrenchment to seep out and the light of His love & acceptance flood our souls with brand new energy and power.
Restored and Replenished
We give space to clothe ourselves with garments of thanksgiving, praise & worship, adorn ourselves with the beauty of holiness, empower ourselves with a meek & a quiet spirit, and overflow with mercy and grace as the real people of God, community of faith and true human beings.
In the Bible, we see that the nation of Israel had a Jubilee year once in 50 years, a sabbatical year once in 7 years and each year, a month and week of reconciliation with man & God. They would forgive and be forgiven of wrongs, let go of debts, restore relationships and finally, reconcile as individuals, families, community and nation, with one another and then with God. They would have a time of joyful feasting and enduring fellowship to seal it all.
We need to make this Christmas month to do likewise, for the true Jubilee has come in and through Christ. It truly should be the time to restore and repair relationships, as much as .
Most churches too set apart the 3 last days of the year for a time of prayer and preparation, to help prepare for the new year.
Declutter to Receive
“Today I threw out some old stuff to make room for some new Christmas presents. May God help us to get rid of the junk and clutter in our lives to make room for the gifts & blessings He wants to give us!” says Jason Powell
As we say goodbye to 2024, let us let go and cleanse ourselves from everything that would burden us.
May we welcome the new year of 2025 with lightened hearts, encouraged minds and healthy bodies.
Let’s make way for the new by putting away the old!
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