Are We There Yet? A Defense of Advent
Most parents have experienced cries of agony from the backseat of the minivan, “Are we there yet?!?” Sometimes these are audible sounds of boredom, been there, done that. At other times, they are sounds of glee, joy and expectation. The excitement is ramped up to such a level that each passing mile is agony. You are ready to burst with joy when you finally reach your destination. It hurts not to be able to release all this pent up excitement. Drive faster, we can’t wait to get there! This is the purpose of Advent on the church calendar. Too many view Advent as a season of killing joy, as a sense of depravation. In actuality, it is not depravation but preparation. It’s time when our expectations over the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is heightened to such a degree that we feel ready to burst. We look back to his first coming and all that he accomplished for us when he was present with us in the flesh 2000 years ago. But, we also look forward to his coming a