Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolizes both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return. A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and a circle to remind us of both God's unending love and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ.
The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The first week of Advent is the candle of hope. Also known as the "prophecy candle", it is in this first week of Advent that we remember Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. The color of the candle is purple to symbolize the royalty of Jesus Christ.
Use these Scriptures and prayer for the first week of Advent to reflect on the promises God and the coming baby who is would be King.
Advent Week One Scripture for Reflection
Isaiah 11:1, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 2:6, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:8, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14, Romans 6:23, Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 5:31, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Acts 5:31
Advent Week One Prayer: A Prayer for Hope
Heavenly Father,
Advent is a time for remembering and reflecting on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Father, I pray that you will turn our hearts toward you as Christmas approaches. Let us not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season this year and miss the chance to celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, that you sent to us on that first Christmas.
Father God, every word in scripture points to the gift of hope that we have because of Christ Jesus. The Christmas story wasn’t the beginning of that message of hope because the old testament is full of glimpses of your plan to redeem your people and restore them into a relationship with you, but we are able to truly begin to see and understand just how great your love for us is when we read the story of Jesus’ birth in scripture.
You showed us a glimmer of that hope as you chose to send your son into this earth through a family tree that was a little bent and scarred. We glanced it again as you chose a tribe that was small and a city that was lowly. It can be seen when we recognize that you don’t send your Son to be birthed in a fancy palace among the wealthy and the elite, but our King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born among common shepherds and livestock in a barn.
The family wasn’t ideal. The surroundings weren’t grand. The situation wasn’t without its’ difficulties, however, you came in the midst of all of that. Emmanuel. God with us. God in the messy. God in the dirty. God in the difficult and the troubled.
Your plan to redeem and restore mankind was to dwell among us, fully God and fully man. You chose to come to earth enrobed in the fragile soft skin of a newborn baby and set aside all of the glory of heaven for one purpose. You came to be with us. You came to love us. You came to die for us so that we might live.
Help us to see that you are with us. Nothing is too difficult, too messy, or too dirty for you. Jesus came to give us the gift of eternal life through the salvation that only you, our Heavenly Father, can give when we believe in your Son, repent of our sins, and confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
That first Christmas, you gave us the gift of hope wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Thank you, Father, for your immeasurable gift.
In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.
Written By: Bobbie Schaeperkoetter
Source: Crosswalk.com