10 Dec Advent Rest

Are you starting to feel it? The busyness of the Christmas season? I am; that’s why I am thankful for this season of Advent. It slows us down and it gives us perspective. Advent helps us to not get sucked into the Christmas

whirlwind where we find ourselves rushing headlong into December 25th without catching our breath. Advent helps us to stop and breath and to rest. Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 11 that he has come to give us rest.

Don’t you find it ironic that the season of celebrating the birth of the one who came to give us rest happens for many of us to be the least restful season of the year!

Advent gives us that rest our Lord Jesus has promised; it turns our eyes onto the very reason of our celebrating, the coming of our Lord Jesus who indeed is our rest. Advent helps to give us the proper perspective throughout the four weeks before Christmas. It helps us to slow down and to think about our need for a Christmas Day. It is a season of anticipation where we continue to reflect on all the promises of God made good in Christ Jesus, and these promises are for you and me: an eternal King, a victorious Redeemer, an atoning Savior – all wrapped up in swaddling clothes.

Let’s slow down together, especially over this next week. Let’s sing songs that puts the wonderful good news of Christmas on our lips and into our ears. Let’s sit under God’s Word together and hear of His promises for us that find their “Amen” in Jesus. Let’s travel together through this blessed season as a family of God to givethanks and rejoice that indeed our Savior has come to give us rest now and for eternity.

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

-Pastor Darrin Sheek