Making Space – An Advent DevotionalSample

Ready For His Return

We get the word ‘Advent’ from the Latin ‘adventus’ or coming. The Israelites waited 400 years for the coming of the promised Messiah.

Today, we, too, are in a waiting room of sorts. Believers are anxiously awaiting Christ’s return – when He will right all wrong, do away with sickness and wipe every tear.

But as we wait, let’s do so in anticipation and readiness, like the five wise virgins in today’s passage. They took with them jars of oil, not knowing when the bridegroom would arrive. When Christ our Bridegroom returns, let’s be ready in the repentance He offers. Like the five foolish virgins, let’s not be found unprepared and preoccupied.

Like them, we can’t buy or borrow spiritual preparedness. On the outside, they looked ready for the arrival of the bridegroom. But, clearly, they didn’t care enough about his coming to prepare themselves on the inside.

We don’t know when He will return. But let’s be ready in the redemption Christ offers.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Christmas reminds me of when You first sent Your Son into a broken world. As the bride of Christ, the church, we look forward to His return. I anticipate the promise that He will wipe away every tear. I pray, that I will not live in any pretense. I will, instead, live in preparedness. Help me be found in Christ when He comes again. Amen