By Not Known
How do you wake up in the morning? Perhaps you are always in a rush: from the moment the alarm sounded to jumping out of bed, you are usually in a hurry to get things done and going. Perhaps you are the type that will “luah” in bed, taking a few more minutes to savour the warmth of the blanket and the sheets with your bolster and pillow wrapped around you snuggly. Or perhaps, the first thing you do is to pick up the mobile to check if there are messages left there for you. Whatever it may be, waking up is really the most important time of the day.
There are also people who tell me that dying in your sleep is perhaps the best way to go. Others insist that the first thing they do is to be grateful that they could wake up to another day.
What is it about waking up in the morning to a brand new day? Do you actually look forward to it? Or do you dread the remains of that day?
Advent is a season for waking up. It is more like waking up to the transiting of pre-dawn moments to before the light of the new day shines through your window. The transiting from a darkened world to the glorious light. If you wake up in those moments, you will savour that transition. You will take that time to reflect on how wonderful the light will be as it brings warmth and light into your home. And as you hold on to your favourite coffee mug and a toast and with Bible open to meditate through the words God speaks to you.
Advent is the season of morning solitude, of waiting for the coming of the light, and of receiving the warmth of the Spirit in your heart. It is a way of getting in touch with God as He ushers in His Son into our world. It is waiting in quiet anticipation of what God will be doing in this world through our obedience and our surrendering to His will.
Advent is the time when Christ comes to us. From the lighting of the candles, to the singing of Christmas carols, to grand celebration of listening and reading His Word: it is the practice of waiting for the light to come and to fill us. When darkness is taken away, that light will fill every nook and every corner when we yield to Him those secret dark areas of our lives and let Him be Lord.
Like the mornings as you wake, take a moment to pause and to be thankful; take a moment to enjoy the light coming through in the new day; and take a moment to raise your heart and your voice to give God praise and to invite Him to walk with you through every step you will be taking in the brand new day. The Son of Man is here to take your hand to lead you to walk in His light and to do His work.
Paul in Romans 12:11 has this wise sayings for us:
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
Peter Poon