When Promises Are Fulfilled

The season of Advent has made a bit of a comeback in recent years. Much of this is due to the growing popularity of Advent calendars—name a product and you can find a box set to count down the days until Christmas: chocolate, Legos, fishing lures, even Red Bull energy drinks.

But traditional Advent practices are also coming back: Advent devotionals, home wreaths, waiting until Christmas to top the tree, etc. A friend who attends a large evangelical church in Florida says her congregation put an enormous wreath in their sanctuary last December to compliment a four-week preaching series on “hope and patience.” Sounds suspiciously Advent-like to me. Perhaps this ancient season, with its focus on longing for the Lord, is just what we modern people need.

Advent helps us remember the importance of waiting. But Advent also reminds us that God does what God promises. After centuries of longing, a Savior was ultimately born. God was faithful. So we know that God will be faithful to us – even when it seems our waiting is in vain.

What are you waiting for? What are your longings this December? What promise has God fulfilled in your life this year?

This past month, Trinity celebrated the fulfillment of the T150 Capital Appeal, the largest project in our congregation’s history. God was faithful! The Bazaar was another enormous success, a celebration of community, service and generosity. God was faithful!

Trusting that God fulfills all promises, we bring our hopes and hurts and dreams before the manger this Advent.

Come, Lord Jesus – once again.