Hey friends! I hope you had a GREAT Thanksgiving. I want to report that I NOW have up all my inside Christmas decorations. I just need to work on the outside but I’ll get to it. This season, I wanted to dive deep into the advent season. Do you know why we light candles? Where did this all start? What do these candles mean? Well, let’s talk about it.
I grew up in a christian, PCA Presbyterian household. During the advent season, a family would go to the front of the church, read some verses and an explanation of the verses and they would sit down. The verses and the explanation told you what the candles represent but why do we do this? Was this in the Bible?
To answer it plainly, it is not in the Bible and when it started, is unknown. This appears to be a symbolic and purposeful practice the church started to represent the birth of Jesus. I would equate this idea to Lent. Meaning, there is nothing in the Bible but it is based on Biblical principles and events with it starting 40 days before Easter. Personally, I love honoring the Lord with these practices because it helps me to remember the reason behind the season.
Thanks to my google research, the word Adevent comes from the Latin word adventus. Adventus means “coming” ot “arrival”. It appears Advent celebrations started as early as 380 AD. But the first Advent candles and wreaths were used in Germany in 1839. The idea started spreading to other churches (probably because it was a cool idea!) and they adopted it into practice. The wreath is an Evergreen. If you think about what is alive and green in the dead of winter would be an Evergreen. This represents that God is eternal, and in Him, we too have everlasting life. Being a wreath, there is no beginning and no end. Representing that God always has been and will always be.
There are five candles. Our church will light a candle every Sunday leading up to Christmas with the fifth candle being lit on Christmas Eve. The candles represent hope, peace, joy and love. The fifth candle is Christ candle. The candles are symbolic and encourage us to remember the first coming of Christ and to look forward to His Second Coming.
Each week as the candles are lit, the flame points to Jesus being the Light of the World. His first coming shines in the darkness, lighting the path to a relationship with God with God the Father, It illuminates His plan and purpose through the Holy Spirit. Now, we wait for His Second Coming where he will light the world with His glory (Revelations 22:5). John 1:4-5 says, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
This is what the Advent season is all about. Celebrating the light in the darkness.
What a beautiful representation and visual reminder why we celebrate this season.
I am just a simple girl from Alabama who doesn’t like to sound uneducated. But, I don’t think I really understood the beauty of the candles and wreath. The light from the candle. The warmth. So before I dove into the meaning of each candle, I thought it was important to discuss the why behind the process.
This week, I want you to reflect on the light and warmth from Jesus. How has He been your light in the darkness? How can you spread that light to others?
Love you all and see you next week,
Jennifer
