The Advent Calendar - Pt. 1

 

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:10-14 ESV).  

 

Of all Advent traditions, the Advent calendar is probably the best recognized. The concept of the Advent calendar may have originated in Germany during the 1800s. Christian families would use chalk lines on doorframes, lined-up small wooden blocks, or lit candles to number the days from December 1st to Christmas Eve. The first Advent calendar as we know it today was likely printed in 1908 by Gerhard Lang who worked at a printing office in Munich. Early on, printers made the calendars of cardboard with twenty-four cut out doors that hid Bible verses and biblical images. Some also held treats, like small chocolates, presumably to keep the children’s attention. Over the years, this tradition spread throughout Europe and North America. It came to a brief halt during World War II, when paper, cardboard, and candy became scarce due to strict rationing. But once the war ended, printers and families picked up the tradition again and shared it around the world.

 

Today, there are all kinds of Advent calendars from the traditional, to pop-culture themed countdowns, or to purely decorative ones. Some calendars are web-based, while many continue in print with the twenty-four little doors or pockets hiding an ornament or a piece of candy. Many of these variations, however, lack the calendar’s original purpose of orienting people to the beauty and significance of Christ’s coming.

When used toward this end, Advent calendars can be a meaningful way to help you reflect on Christ’s birth and watched-for return throughout the season.

 

It is my desire to use the next few weeks to look closely at the biblical narrative of the promise and event of the birth of Jesus. We’ll see daily verses and the devotional centered on this theme. Whether from the Old Testament prophetic declaration of the coming of Jesus or the actual account from the writers of the New Testament, my hope is that it will help you to savor the season we are beginning. I also hope it will help you see that the best is yet to come.

 

Today the simple key is in the prophetic naming of this child – Immanuel. That translates “God with us.” The impact cannot be clearer. God is with us, everywhere and all the time. We need that message today. We find it in Christ!