A Radical Advent

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

Another December. Another shopping season. Once more we drag out the same old Christmas decorations, the same Christmas card list, and the same Christmas music and foods. This is a favorite time of the year for so many people, yet even the Christmas season can grow stale. Many people are depressed this time of year because they hoped it could be different, but instead they discovered the same troubles and frustrations as the year before. But what if we could cut away all the traditional and the familiar? What if we could experience Adcent- the waiting, and Christmas- the gift, just as if it were the first time?

To be "radical" means to cut all the way down to the root of something. That's the heart of God's promise for you this Christmas. His very first promise of Christmas was a radical one It began with a see, the seed of Eve. And from that seed came the fruit, the gift that God wants to give you. Can you watch and wait for one month? As you read these devotions, can you watch as God's promise goes from seed to root, from root to branch, and from branch to fruit?

If you want this Christmas to be a Radical Christmas, don't race ahead. Use the Advent season to experience the long wait of God's people through hundreds of generations. Set aside a few moments each day to consider where the root of God's love will spring up in your life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, my life and my mind have become cluttered with many things. My calendar and my hands are full. Clear away everything that obstructs my life with You, and grant that this Advent season I may truly make ready for Your coming. Amen.