AN ADVENT DEVOTION

I write devotions for Orphan Grain, so I hope you will indulge me. We're in the season of Advent. I used to wonder why during the weeks before Christmas--the Advent season--Scriptural readings were so gloomy. So much talk about the end times! Why wasn't there more talk in church about Christmas?

According to dictionary.com, the word "advent" means "a coming into place, view, or being; arrival." Now it's beginning to make sense. The season of Advent is all about the arrival of Jesus at the end of the world. We certainly celebrate the birth of our Savior. God became one of us, Immanuel, God with us. He came into the world to rescue sinners from sin, death, & Satan. And He will come again.

I don't know about you, but this whole COVID pandemic has made me much more cognizant of death. There have been worse plagues in the history of humankind, but most of us have never experienced a plague as bad as this one.

Yesterday during my morning "quiet time," I read an Advent devotion, written by C.M. Zorn in Crumbs:  Short Devotions for Every Day of the Year, published by Concordia Publishing House in 1914, which explains the archaic language. Here is the excerpt that really spoke to me.

And furthermore remember that death transports thee in a moment into the presence of the Lord. In death thy body knows of no time, though it is still within the bounds of time. And thy living soul will then no longer dwell in time, but in eternity. And what on earth is a long time is but a moment in eternity. Thus, as I have said, death transports thee in a moment into the presence of the Lord. How near at hand is the coming of the Lord Jesus!

Our Lord & His apostles seemingly spoke of the imminent return of the Kingdom of the Lord. That's been over 2,000 years ago. So what happened? Well, the kingdom of the Lord comes for believers when they die. Their souls are taken to heaven. That' what C.M. Zorn is talking about when he writes, "And thy living soul will then no longer dwell in time, but in eternity." 

I take comfort in these words. I hope you do, too.

AN ADVENT HYMN:  SAVIOR OF THE NATIONS, COME [LW #13]

Savior of the nations, come, Show Yourself the virgin's son. Marvel heaven, wonder earth, That our Lord chose such a birth.

Father's equal, You will win Vict'ries for us over sin. Might eternal, make us whole; Heal our ills of flesh & soul.

Glory to the Father sing, Glory to the Son, our King, Glory to the Spirit be, Now & through eternity.