Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”) is a season of spiritual preparation in which Christians seek to ready themselves for the coming or birth of Jesus Christ as celebrated on Christmas Day. For many, it is a time of prayer, fasting, and reflection intended to refocus one’s life on the experience of anticipation, hope, and joy that are to be found in Jesus Christ.
In 2009, Barbara Jimenez (my wife) and Elizabeth Mjelde developed a set of daily Advent devotions and related materials compiled from a wide variety of sources. Their intent was to assemble a group of people within our church (Cornerstone Church of San Francisco) who would commit to practicing those devotions for the entire season. The group, which met weekly during Advent of that year, was called Reclaiming Christmas.
For Advent 2011, our church is encouraging observance of the season by distributing a “Christmas Edition” devotional from Our Daily Bread and by offering a one-day prayer retreat. As an additional resource, we have decided to make the online Advent devotional and other materials available again this year. Please begin by reading our Statement of Purpose below. You may then click on the various links to the Daily Devotionals, Forms of Prayer, and Source Materials.
Statement of Purpose: Advent is a time of expectation, waiting, and silence as we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Our desire is to counter the “busy-ness” of the season by making time to listen to God, by inviting Him to touch our hearts and minds, and by asking Him to transform us from within. Just as the shepherds journeyed to Bethlehem to seek the One who was promised, we too are invited to seek the Savior.
May God richly bless you as you seek His presence during this Advent season!
To begin reading, please click on this link .
To read about Forms of Prayer, please click on this link.
If you are interested in the source materials for this devotional, please click here.
