Advent: Experience God in His Fullness

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

Psalm 16:9 ESV

Oh, the sights, sounds, fragrances, tastes, and textures of my Czech family Christmases! Clove-studded oranges.  Fresh, sappy, evergreen boughs bound into garlands and wreaths. Almond crescents, colorful lights, flannel stockings, crunchy peanut brittle. Fresh-baked hoska (braided sweet bread). Hot chocolate. Roasted chestnuts. Christmas caroling outside our front door. I didn’t yet understand most of the carols, but I sang along.

Could it be that by hearing some Christmas songs based on the truths of Scripture, God implanted seeds in my heart that would later take root?

One year, when I was ten, Mom and I made peppermint candy canes. She cooked a large batch of sugar and water until it reached the hard crack stage.  She immediately added fragrant peppermint extract, then divided the mass into two. One blob she incorporated red food coloring into. Each hot ball was hastily formed into a long rope. Last, despite the heat, she twisted them together with greased fingers. The one long rope was cut and formed into canes, then lined up on waxed paper to fully harden. Later, we sampled them and hung some by their crook on the Christmas tree. We went to bed content—until a loud crashing sound awoke us.  We dashed to the living room to discover softened remains of candy canes on the tile floor.

Now imagine the scene of the first Christmas. Dark and cold cave walls. Musty ground. Pungent odor and lowing animals, amid yesterday’s hay. A dirty manger that cradles the pure, swaddled baby King Jesus. Is He crying?  Are His cloths soft or scratchy? Surely, prayers of thanksgiving are quietly expressed. Growling stomachs and yawns? What a night! Glory. Jesus, God in His fullness (Colossians 1:19).

Lord, I want to experience this intimate scene afresh with awe and appreciation. Give me eyes to see (Eph 1:18), ears to hear (Matt 11:15), smell to remember (2 Corinthians 2:14), touch to feel (Mark 3:10), and taste to be satisfied (Psalm 34:8).

Karen Sims