Not a Vain Hope. A Certainty!
by Peter Horrobin
The 1st December, this year, is the first Sunday of Advent. A season of the year which is most often associated with preparations for celebrating the Christmas festival and the birth of Jesus. But it is much more than that!
Yes, Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the nativity, but it is also the time of year when, historically, the Christian Church has looked forward to the return of Jesus at the Second Coming. The Latin word adventus, from which we get the word, Advent, is a translation of the Greek word Parousia, which is a reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
For Christians, therefore, the season of Advent is a time of remembrance of the first coming, an anticipation of the Second Coming, but most importantly it is a celebration of the coming of Christ into our hearts when we receive Him as our Saviour. It is only when this has happened that the true joy of the Christmas celebration can be experienced and that we can look forward to the Second Coming fearlessly, with joyful anticipation.
Our verses for today are the last words of the Bible at the end of the book of Revelation. The previous verses are a warning to those who reject the salvation of Christ, add to or take anything away from the truths which the book reveals. But for those who truly know and love the Saviour, there is nothing to fear. We can look forward to the Second Coming with joyful certainty. The first coming was prophesied and happened and the prophets who were right about the first coming also prophesied that He would come again.
What a prospect that is for those who know Him. Let’s celebrate Advent this year in three ways. Looking back on the first coming, looking forward to the second coming and experiencing His presence twenty-four seven in our hearts. And lets tell the Lord how much we are looking forward to His coming again!
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus that You came. Thank You Jesus, that today you come and live in our hearts. And thank You, Jesus, that one day soon You are coming again and that in You I have nothing to fear. Hallelujah! In Your Name, Amen.
Peter Horrobin is the Founding and International Director of Ellel Ministries. The work was originally established in 1986 as a ministry of healing in the north-west of England, but today the work has spread round the world, with Ellel Centres in over thirty nations. Peter has been doing lots of writing recently, including the "Journey to Life" series which can be purchased online at sovereignworld.com.
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