Several Eastern Orthodox Churches practice a time of fasting for forty days prior to the Nativity.  Western Churches include the four Sundays prior to Christmas as a period of preparation called Advent.

In the middle ages, they started the idea of using candles in a wreath to symbolize this time of preparing the believer’s heart.  The wreath contains three purple and one rose candle. A purple candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent.  This represents our hope in the promises of God.

For just as God promised a baby would be born of a virgin, Christ has promised to return again.

^{Isaiah 7:14} Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

And God kept his promise

Luke 1:27
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and thevirgin‘s name was Mary.

In fact, the birth of Christ fulfilled hundreds of prophecies regarding the Messiah.  God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises to such perfection in the birth of Christ provides the foundation of our hope both in the promise of salvation through the blood of Christ and that one day our Lord will break the eastern sky and return to earth.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Exercise

Do you hope for Jesus to return?  Or are you actually leery of the idea?

 

What promises of God do you have hope in?

 

Set up a wreath in your house and light the purple candle. Remember the promises of God.  It doesn’t have to be Sunday.  This is about preparing your heart.  Write down promises of God that you specifically hold special and re-read them each day this week reminding yourself that God keeps His promises.