By Brother Tom Albin

This is the first week of Advent—the season in the Chistian year that we prepare for the birth of the Christ child. It will be four more weeks before we celebrate Christmas eve and Christmas Day!

How will you prepare for yourself and your family for Christmas?

Here in the United States, we can no longer wait for Thanksgiving to be over and Black Friday (the term to identify the first big day to purchase Christmas gifts at bargain prices). Where I live in Nashville, Tennessee, stores and businesses were advertising “Early Black Friday Sales” the week before Thanksgiving. Our consumer culture could not wait to entice people to “BUY NOW AND SAVE!”

I wonder what would happen if those of us who follow the Christian Calendar and follow the Christ of Christmas would entice our people to “PRAY NOW AND SAVE!”

Rather than react to the consumer culture—we respond to it with love, prayer, and faithful witness to the real reason for the season. God so loved the world that He gave us the very best gift of all—His only Son, Jesus Christ. What if we tell our family and friends about the gifts and bargains available during this shopping season—AND we tell them about the best gift we have ever received—the gift of a relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!

At the heart of the Christian Ashram movement is the simple, biblical affirmation “Jesus is Lord!” The Advent season is the time for us to prepare for Him to be born in us, in new and life transforming ways!

Why not ask our family and friends, “Can I tell you about the best gift I have ever received?”

In the lectionary readings for this first week of Advent, the Gospel lesson is Matthew 24:36-44. I encourage you to read it in more than one translation. The main point of Jesus’ words in this passage is, “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (v. 44).

Prayer: Gracious God, in this Advent season, help me to bless and be a blessing. Help me to help others to “PRAY NOW AND SAVE!” Give me the courage and the grace to ask my friends and family, “Can I tell you about the best gift I have ever received?” Thank you for reminding me today to “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming.”

Listen to this classic Advent hymn: