I am writing this on Sunday 30th November, the first day of Advent 2025. For billions of people across the planet, whether having faith or no faith, Advent is a season of preparation. Where will we be for Christmas? What will we eat? What will we buy for the Christmas presents? When are we going to put the decorations up? There is so much to prepare. On 1st December, millions of children, teenagers and adults across the globe will open the first window of their Advent calendar. The countdown to Christmas Day begins.
For Christians, Advent has been a time of preparation for centuries. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming”. Advent is a time to reflect on and to prepare for the celebration Jesus’ coming into the world as a baby on that very first Christmas Day. We also look ahead to the time when Jesus will return in glorious splendour, just as He has promised.
Yesterday, the rugby was on our TV on S4C, the Welsh language channel. I was pottering around and not really watching but I heard the word “paratoi”. It caught my attention and I thought, I know that word, it means ‘prepare’.
The well loved Christmas carol, Joy to the World has the words:
“Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven,
And heaven, and nature sing”
These words are urging us to prepare our hearts for the coming King.
This Advent season, will I prepare room for Jesus to be born in my heart at Christmas? Or will I say, “No room at the inn”? This Advent season, this season of preparation, will I prepare my heart for the coming King? Will I prepare my heart to make room for Jesus, the Reason for the Season?
I will. Will you?
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