Advent Devo Pt. 1 "The Approach"

12.07.09


**Christian Surfers would like to invite you to celebrate Christmas for not just a day or two, but for an entire month by entering into an ancient church worship season called advent.



“20 feet from the NW 295 degrees @ 17 second intervals”

In our present surfing era, the above statement pumps blood into a surfer’s veins. Through our high tech storm tracking tools, we’re able to know about storms generated thousands of miles from our home breaks. We can know about these storms speed and intensity, the size of the seas it kicks up, and then we can predict how many days from now that waves will hit our reefs, sandbars, and points. Knowing this, we begin to arrange our life obligations (school, work, family, etc.) not to interfere with the coming swell event. We also prep boards and use surf dvd’s to mentally prepare. In some cases, we’ll book a flight or arrange a road trip to that spot which we know will unfold the swell’s full potential. While all this is going on, we log onto websites that give us buoy readings, telling us of the event that is yet to be. Something is out there. It’s wave energy. And it’s coming.

For centuries (beginning at least by the middle of the sixth century), followers of Jesus have entered into a worship season called Advent. During advent, God’s people are encouraged to go back in time to what it would be like to wait in breathless anticipation for Messiah to finally appear onto the scene, and into our lives.

The word advent is derived for the Latin adventus, which means “the approach.” There’s something coming—rather, someone coming, who will be a mighty force. He is approaching. He is coming. Our King is coming. The one who will rescue us from all that is wrong with this world, and all that is wrong with us. Our Hero is coming--one who would perform the most daring of rescues—snatching us from the hell we deserved. Yes, He is coming! That one! Jesus.

And our hearts can thrill to that in ways that out-strip our thrill of that long awaiting swell. Because something greater that waves is on the approach. The creator of such waves is on the approach. He is master of these natural forces, and therefore more than able to rule over whatever challenge, whatever disappointment, or whatever failure you may face today.

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.”

--Psalm 24:1-2, 7, 10



Guest Author: Lyle Castellaw





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