While the calendar year starts in January and the tax year in April, the church year starts in November, with the season of Advent.
Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30th and continues until Christmas Eve. It is a time of preparation as we wait in anticipation for the King to come. It is time, not only to prepare and look forward to the birth of Jesus, but also a time of anticipation, as we acknowledge that the day will come when Jesus once again returns to earth.
There was an opportunity last week to reflect on how you had used this season previously and also to consider how you might enter into it afresh this year. As you begin to carry out what you planned, may
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
Over the coming week we will look at six themes, each one based on a letter in the word Advent – A for adore, D for desire, V for vine, E for everlasting, N for new and T for travel.
A for adore
Dictionary definitions of this word cite two themes, firstly to regard with the utmost esteem, respect, honour and affection/love and secondly to worship and to pay divine honour.
At Christmas we usually join together in singing the carol ‘O come all ye faithful’ with its chorus which invites us to, ‘O come let us adore him’. What does this mean to you? How do you seek to adore God, not only in this season but throughout the year? When you have reflected on these questions, see if you can listen to one of the songs listed below (both of which are available on iTunes).
- Adoramus te Domine (We adore you, O Lord) from the Taize Community. This can be found on a number of their recordings, for example Cantate and Laudate.
- Adore Him. Track 7 on My Soul Yearns CD Vineyard Records UK 2011