An Advent of Surrender

Every December, the lists grow — gift lists, grocery lists, event lists. Mix these with the voice in my head rehearsing all the big conversations and traditions I expect to orchestrate for my family, and we've got ourselves a circus!

Advent is supposed to be a time of preparation, but somewhere between wrapping paper and Christmas cards, “prepare” can feel a lot like “perform.”

In Luke 21, Jesus flips the script in this on preparing in a way we typically don't hear it used during Advent:

“So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.”

It’s a strange verse to think about right now, as we’re knee-deep in Christmas preparations, when this whole month centers on waiting and preparing our hearts for Christ’s coming. But here, Jesus tells his followers not to prepare. He’s not calling for lists or rehearsed conversations. He’s calling for us to surrender and trust him to meet us in every moment. To simply pray, “God, I don’t have the words. Or even all the answers. But you do.”

This Advent, what if we stopped rehearsing what to say, who to be, or how to make everything magical and, instead, let the Spirit whisper the right words and moments into our hearts as they come?

Could we trust that God is in control of our future and live into the blessing of 1 Thessalonians 5:5 as "children of light?”

Maybe the truest Christmas preparation isn’t about getting everything right. Maybe it’s about letting go and trusting that God already has.

Emily

Have more time? This week’s devotional came from one I wrote for my church this Advent season — editing this devo is one of my favorite annual projects! If you don’t have an Advent devotional, follow this link to see the digital version.