Advent always seems out of place with everything else that is going on around us. While people are rushing toward Christmas in a shopping frenzy our observance is markedly different. Sometimes we get so lost in the sentiment and traditions of Christmas that we have difficulty connecting with the themes of Advent. Advent is about waiting expectantly while longing for God to act. However, we must admit that we grow impatient and demand immediate satisfaction.

The first Sunday of Advent finds us not dreaming of the perfect Christmas or searching for a gift for the person who has everything, but rather looking to the future — to the second coming of Christ. Advent begins not with a baby in a manger but rather, looking forward to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The apostle Pau…