Emmanuel Lutheran Church
A Caring Family Sharing God's Love and Forgiveness
Fort Wayne IN 46802
(260) 423-1369
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..."
- Ephesians 2:8
| Advent Devotions for You and Your Family |
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In the mind of a child, Advent seems to last forever. December feels like an eternity, and each day creeps by while Christmas morning sits on the horizon like a mountain that never gets closer, no matter how fast you drive toward it. As we get older, the ache of expectation changes. Our hearts are still filled with longing, but the things for which we yearn are deeper and much more extraordinary than a present-filled Christmas morning. In the tension of strained relationships we wait for reconciliation. In the face of grief, we wait for comfort. In the shame of sin, we wait for forgiveness. In the shadow of death, we wait for deliverance. Advent recalls this great human waiting and reminds us that our life’s ultimate meaning is not in this life; our salvation can come only from above. Addressing the spiritual significance of Advent, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Something different than you see daily, something more important, something infinitely greater and more powerful is taking place. Become aware of it, be on guard, wait a short while longer, wait and something new will overtake you! God will come, Jesus will take possession of you, and you will be redeemed people! Lift up your heads, you army of the afflicted, the humbled, the discouraged, you defeated army with bowed heads. The battle is not lost, the victory is yours—take courage, be strong! There is no room here for shaking your heads and doubting, because Christ is coming.†(A Testament to Freedom, 225) Christ is coming! And so we wait. We turn our eyes toward the horizon, and along with our children, we experience the ache of expectation and embrace the promise of his immanent arrival—and we do it together! In the pages of this devotional calendar you will hear voices of fellow Emmanuel members waiting with you. Join them as you read their reflections, as you light the candles of the Advent wreath, as you discover the rich traditions surrounding this season, and as you take part in acts of faith and worship during this holy time. I pray that your Advent season will be enriched by this proclamation of God’s promise as we wait together for Christmas. Pastor Thomas A Eggold For the web version of this calendar, one devotion will be released every day starting November 27th and running through Christmas.
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