Advent—A Season to Prepare Your Heart

“Advent is one of the greatest and most mysterious seasons of the Christian calendar. Advent celebrates the incarnation, the mind-blowing reality of the God of the universe becoming a man: living, breathing, walking on earth as we do. But even as it celebrates Christ’s arrival on earth and his rescue of it, Advent also looks patiently to the future return of Christ to bring all wrongs to right, once and for all. Advent accepts the tension of the already and the not yet. It welcomes waiting. It is merriment and melancholy together, beauty so sublime that, like the best art, it simultaneously comforts and rocks us to the core.” (Biola University)

Advent is the season of reflective preparation for Christ's Nativity at Christmas and Christ's expected return at his Second Coming.

How Christians Celebrated Advent

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,” which translates to the Greek word parousia. Scholars believe that during the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1), his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist (John 1:29), and his first miracle at Cana (John 2:1). During this season of preparation, Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration; originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas.

By the 6th century, however, Christians in Rome had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. But the “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming in the manger in Bethlehem, but his Second Coming in the clouds as the Judge of the world.

The Advent season was not explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas until the Middle Ages.

Modern Celebration of Advent

Today, many Christians celebrate during the Advent season by lighting candles in an Advent wreath the four Sundays before Christmas and reflecting on the hope, peace, joy and love of Jesus. The first week (purple candle) represents hope; the second week (purple candle) represents peace. The third week (pink candle) represents joy, and the fourth week (purple) candle represents love.

The four weeks of Advent are a wonderful time to deepen our faith as we ponder the mystery of the birth of Jesus, who is called Immanuel, God with us. Advent Devotionals can help us draw near during this incredibly busy time, filled with all kinds of distractions.

Advent Devotionals

Publisher’s Weekly notes the growing popularity of Advent devotionals. Many people buy them in November to give as gifts to friends and help share the true meaning of Christmas. Some families enjoy going through a devotional together during the holidays. 

We have created a list of Advent devotionals written by our favorite authors. All of these are intended to help us prepare our hearts for Christmas. If you have a favorite Advent devotional, please reply to this email newsletter, and let us know. We’d love to expand our list. 

Click to download the following list of Advent Devotionals

Free Online Devotional

The Advent Project 2023

Biola University Center for Christianity Culture & the Arts

Biola provides a wonderful, free, daily devotional. Each day of Advent, it features a Scripture passage, a devotion written by a member of the Biola community, a work of visual art, a poem, and a piece of music. The 2023 Advent Project is curated by Biola faculty and will focus on The Vision of Isaiah: Praying with the Poet Prophet of Advent. 

Sign up to receive this free, daily, Advent devotional.

Free PDF Devotional

Advent Gathering: Light of the World

Traci Martin

Advent is a time of preparation – joyful and purposeful. When calendars are already full, or resources are stretched to capacity, Christmas feels stressful, not joyful. For many women, Christmas preparations simply mean an even longer list of things to do. But Advent reminds us that we are invited into a life that is more than what we do. It reminds us of whose we are.

The greatest gift you can give to the Lord is a pure heart ready to receive and give love fully. Use the Scripture, quotes, and questions in this booklet to guide your thoughts deeper into God’s heart by examining your own.

Books

The Savior Has Come: An Advent Devotional by Anne Barbour

The Savior Has Come will take you inside the events of the birth of Jesus, bringing the characters and places to life. Reading it will change your experience of Christmastime and may just change your life as you revisit the significance of Jesus’ arrival. Discover treasures hidden in plain sight in the story of the significance of Jesus’ arrival. Discover treasures hidden in plain sight in the story of the birth of Jesus. The Savior Has Come offers a unique reading format that is both refreshing and illuminating. Twenty-four Advent entries provide a simple, meaningful way to rediscover the familiar Biblical telling of the entrance of the Savior of the world.

25 Days of Advent Prayer and Scripture Guide by Christianity.com

Jesus came at Christmas not to fill your empty stocking, but to fill your empty life! He wants to bring you joy, peace, and hope regardless of your circumstances. This free e-book contains scripture readings and prayer for personal or family reflection.

The First Songs of Christmas: Meditations on Luke 1 & 2 by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

During the holidays the musical tunes of the season are everywhere. Their nostalgic melodies warm our hearts. But the original Christmas songs are different; they lift our hearts to a holy God. They reveal the greatness, glory, and goodness of our Savior. Taking us beyond quaint imagery and feel-good lyrics, the Advent songs of the Bible unfold God’s redemptive plan for the world and his eternal purpose for the ages.

The Wonder of Advent: Delighting in the Hope, Joy, Peace and Love of Christmas

Bible Study Book with Video Access by Lifeway Women

Spend a week considering each of the themes of Advent— hope, joy, peace, and love. Each week you'll trace that theme throughout Scripture by looking at: 1) an Old Testament prophecy; 2) a scene from the Christmas story; 3) a moment from Jesus’s earthly ministry; 4) a teaching of Jesus; and 5) a promise from Revelation. When your eyes are opened to these threads in Scripture, you'll stand in awe of the glory and love of God, and you'll be motivated to share the wonder of Advent with the world.

Hidden Christmas—The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Timothy Keller

Even people who are not practicing Christians think they are familiar with the story of the nativity. Every Christmas displays of Baby Jesus resting in a manger decorate lawns and churchyards, and songs about shepherds and angels fill the air. Yet despite the abundance of these Christian references in popular culture, how many of us have examined the hard edges of this biblical story? Timothy Keller takes readers on an illuminating journey into the surprising background of the nativity. By understanding the message of hope and salvation within the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth, readers will experience the redeeming power of God’s grace in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Joy to the World: Daily Readings for Advent by Charles Spurgeon

Amid the busyness of December, take 5 minutes each day and let Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, warm your heart with joy that can only be found in the good news of Jesus Christ. “This is the season of the year when, whether we wish it or not, we are compelled to think of the birth of Christ.” said Charles Spurgeon at the start of his sermon in December 1855. After dispelling any notion of a religious necessity of celebrating Christmas, he went on, “However, I wish there were ten or a dozen Christmas-days in the year” as an opportunity to preach on the incarnation of Jesus. Slow down this advent and reflect on the birth of Jesus with this 25-day advent devotional guide.

Good News of Great Joy: 25 Devotional Readings for Advent by John Piper

Come, let us adore him. This beloved Advent refrain captures the heart of the season. Advent is for adoring Jesus. It is a season of preparation to ready our hearts for the glory of Christmas Day as we celebrate the coming of the eternal God in our frail humanity. These 25 short devotional readings from John Piper aim to help you keep Christ at the center of the Advent season.

The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent by John Piper

The Christmas season is one of the busiest times of the year. But it is also a season of reflection and preparation for that special day when we mark Immanuel’s coming―the arrival of our eternal God in our own frail humanity. This is the greatest of history’s many wonders, something too stupendous to celebrate just one day. Advent is a way of lengthening and intensifying the joy of Christmas. These 25 brief devotional readings carry us to Christmas Day. Our hope is that God would use these meditations to deepen and sweeten your adoration of Jesus and help you keep him at the center of your Christmas season.

Jesus Listens for Advent and Christmas—Prayers for the Season by Sarah Young

This devotional collection of prayers and reflections from Sarah Young's bestselling Jesus Listens and Jesus Calling prepares your spirit for the Savior's coming, helps you spend the days of Advent and Christmas with intentionality, and carries you into the New Year with your heart and mind fixed on Jesus. Enjoy more peaceful moments this holiday season. This inspirational holiday devotional includes Scripture verses, illustrations, and words of hope from God's heart to yours.

The Eternal King Arrives

Christianity Today

Over the 4 weeks of Advent, this devotional guide will look at the themes of Jesus' prophetic inauguration, God's plan for redemption, and the Eternal King's arrival into the world as a human through signs and wonders.

Waiting Here for You: An Advent Journey of Hope by Louie Giglio

This Advent journey helps us anticipate rather than dread the busy season of Advent and Christmas. A season overflowing with anticipation, Christmas comes at the same time each year with great hope and promise of a baby born long ago. But this season meant for joy is often consumed by busyness, pressure, mixed emotions, and is gone as quickly as it came. What is it all for? In the journey of Advent - a season of expectant waiting and preparation - we find our answer. It’s in the waiting season of Advent that we prepare our hearts to meet December 25 with joy, peace, hope, and promise in our newborn King.

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp

Unwrap the greatest Gift with your family this Advent season! With daily Scripture readings, vivid, full-color illustrations, downloadable ornaments, and moving scenes from the Bible, this book is a gift your whole family can experience each day leading up to Christmas. Person by person, story by story, retrace the lineage of Jesus. Fall in love with Him all over again as you experience God’s plan of salvation for us―from the Garden of Eden to the manger and beyond.

Watch for the Light—Readings for Advent and Christmas

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Annie Dillard, Thomas Merton, C. S. Lewis, Henri J. M. Nouwen, John Donne, Meister Eckhart, Dorothy Day, Thomas Stearns Eliot, Edith Stein, Thomas Aquinas, Philip Yancey, and others

Advent is making a comeback as growing numbers reject shopping mall frenzy and examine the deeper meaning of the season. Ecumenical in scope, these 50 devotions invite the reader to contemplate the great themes of Christmas and the significance that the coming of Jesus has for each of us – not only during Advent but every day. Whether dipped into at leisure or used on a daily basis, Watch for the Light gives the phrase “holiday preparations” new depth and meaning.

Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen

Redemptorist Pastoral Publication

The inspiring words of Henri J. M. Nouwen guide the faithful on a spiritual journey through the Advent and Christmas seasons in this book of waiting, hope, anticipation, and celebration. Each day of the Advent season and each day of Christmas contain a pertinent excerpt from the writings of Father Nouwen, a related quotation from Scripture, a prayer for the day, and a suggested activity that offers a concrete response to mark the season. Advent and Christmas Wisdom is indeed an easy-to-use, daily program to celebrate the momentous arrival of the Christ Child and the joyous news of our salvation. It is also an ideal book for the individual seeking active participation in the season and a renewal of faith for the start of the liturgical year.

Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel's Messiah

Westminster John Knox Press

Handel's Messiah is one of the most beloved musical works of the Western world, playing an especially sentimental role in many people's Christmas traditions. The libretto of the work, taken directly from the King James text of 14 books of the Bible, has turned many otherwise forgettable phrases into memorable, singable, cherished lines of Scripture. This gift-worthy book will delight and inspire classical music fans and those for whom Messiah is a beloved Christmas tradition with essays exploring the theological, historical, and pastoral implications of the Scriptures that make up Handel's Messiah. Each reflection offers the libretto from Messiah, the same passage in NRSV, and a brief commentary on the text, written by a respected scholar or pastor.

Much of the information here is from Christianity.com, Biola.edu, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon.com