Advent is the season set apart to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. We look back at his first coming ( Luke 2 ), and we look forward to his second coming . ( Revelation 19:11-18 ) It is to be a sacred season in which we daily spend time with the Spirit and Word and the community of faith to see the hand of God in history to bring about the birth of incarnate God and the return as the risen, triumphant King . But who has time for all that? Our culture has swallowed up the intent of this season and has seduced us to buy stuff and go into debt to give things people don't want to people we don't like--and those we do. And, we have gladly said yes to the "little g" god, consumerism. Check out my friend, Jim Denison's blog , " What did Jesus think of Black Friday ." The numbers and stories will stagger you. (You will want to subscribe to his daily email, too. It's good stuff.) He has pointed out the absurdity of our action...
run with endurance the race set out before you...Heb. 12:1-2