Advent Day 8, or the Second Sunday in Advent

Advent Day 8 – light the eighth candle on the log

New this year is a Facebook group Advent at the WildBerry Patch, where we can discuss ideas, recipes and photos of our advent preparations!

Second Sunday of Advent – light the second candle on the wreath

What is the purpose of the Advent Wreath?
What is the purpose of any of this?
Symbols! Symbolism!

The prophecies talked about signs.
But we were also given symbols to explain more completely the aspects of God.
The wreath – well, that is a relatively recent symbology.
But people have been using candles as a symbol of incense, our prayers rising to God.

I grew up Episcopalian. This church broke off from the Roman Catholic Church.
Methodists grew out of the Episcopal/Anglican brothers, John and Charles Wesley.
Of course, there are many permutations of these specific denominations, but these three, and the Lutherans, are what I call Liturgical.
Yes, the liturgy is the worship program.
What I am talking about is the Church Calendar.
Everything has a time and season.
Everything has symbols(I should have listened more closely in catechism!).
Speaking of symbols, there are whole courses that can be taken for the symbolism in art – much because art has always been a form of worship of one’s God.

There are so many variations on symbolism that I searched for something to give me a little bit of focus this year.
Circle of Light provides multiple Advent Themes for using on the Four Sundays of Advent.

Advent 1 – Hope, Expectations, Prophecies
Advent 2 – Love, Hope, Angels
Advent 3 – Joy, Joy, Shepherds – this candle is often pink
Advent 4 – Peace, Purity, Magi
Christmas Day – the Christ Candle(sitting in the middle)

There are books galore by almost every Christian author for celebrating Advent.
I even have one that goes through Handel’s Messiah, and it includes great works of art depicting that story.

My point is, this is a good time to look at some more symbolism.

Today, I am meditating on Christ as King, and the symbolism is a crown.

19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. Rev 19:16

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah 9:9-16

A king.
At that time, and even in some monarchies today, the King’s word was IT. Obey it, or be killed.

Zechariah 9:9-16 gives a beautiful description of what kind of King Jesus is, and what he will do for his people. Jesus is no ordinary King.

What is the purpose of a King? To guide, protect and care for those under his rule.

Jesus will do that, if I let him.
Do I let him?
If I say that Jesus is my King, do I act like it?

The Bible gives me so much to guide my life, like a constitution, or rule book, or guidebook for my life as the servant of the Most High King.

I know many things that I should do – like embrace the fruit of the Spirit,

• Love,
• Joy,
• Peace,
• Patience,
• Goodness,
• Kindness,
• Faithfulness,
• Gentleness and
• Self Control.

I know some things that I should not do –

• Idology,
• Graven Images,
• Defame the Lord’s Name,
• Ignore the Sabbath,
• Dishonor my parents,
• Murder,
• Adultery,
• Steal,
• Lie,
• Envy.

I am neither consistent in doing what I ought, nor not doing what I ought not.

In the Anglican Prayer book, in the confession, it says:

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is nothing good in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to Your promises declared unto men in Christ Jesus our Lord. Grant that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; to the glory of His name. Amen

No, I do not honor the Lord as King in my Life.
So often, I end up on the throne of my own heart, after saying that I want HIM to sit on the throne of my heart. The beauty in Christ is that He is a loving, forgiving KING – and I cry out for His mercies often.

The Symbol? A Crown.

This particular photo, of a very nice ornament, will not rotate into the media part of WordPress. This is another situation where I have to allow Christ to be King in my life. I do not know how to do many things, and sometimes, it becomes very evident in a very public way. This whole photo has been a study in practicing patience, because things just didn’t want to work right.
I THINK that God should have everything perfect.
I KNOW that I am not perfect.
Because of these to points of view, I tend to quit.
I give up.
I cannot be perfect, therefore, I do not serve my King in the ways in which He asks of me.
Lord, again, I come to you and crown you as Lord and King of my life.

More Advent Devotions

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

• Naomi’s Heart Ministries
• Obed’s House Ministries
• The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.