Through The Candles of Advent
During the season of Advent in the church calendar, Christians around the world light candles on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The candles symbolise faith, hope, love and peace, and one is lit up either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to symbolise the Lord Jesus Christ.
Advent is that period of time when Christians prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ while looking forward to His second coming. It’s a tradition that began in early century Europe, and has since been widely practised by many Christian denominations around the world.
This year, Advent begins on 28 November 2021, and it is a season of spiritual preparation accompanied by readings in the Lectionary, a collection of scripture passages pointing to our Lord’s coming.
Through the candles of Advent, we learn of:
- Hope. The first candle symbolises hope. We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep His promises to us. We have an inheritance reserved in heaven, and this living hope is an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19).
- Peace. The second candle reminds us that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to bring us spiritual peace. Peace begins with a right relationship with God, and it continues to fill us as we focus on His strength and trust Him. (Isaiah 26:3)
- Joy. The third candle reminds us of the joy we have in Jesus. We have complete joy even though we face trials, because our faith is being tested and proven genuine. The end of this faith is the salvation of our souls. (James 1:2)
- Love. The fourth candle reminds us of God’s love for humanity. We can love one another with a pure heart because we have been born again through the Word of God which lives and abides forever. (1 Peter 1:23)
- Jesus Christ. The fifth candle, sometimes known as the Christ candle and placed in the middle of the four candles, is white in colour and represents the purity of Christ, the spotless, sinless lamb of God – the Saviour of the world! (Luke 2:11)
The Advent season is a beautiful reminder to prepare spiritually, even as we prepare to decorate our homes or buy gifts for friends and family. More important than the outward preparation is the inward preparation of our hearts. Because Christ came the first time, we can live with hope, peace, joy, and love till He comes again.
>>WATCH: What is Advent and Should I Celebrate It?
>>READ: The Heart of Christmas: Daily Readings for December
About the Author
Wan Phing Lim is a contributor to Our Daily Bread Ministries Malaysia. Born and raised in Penang, she studied Politics before turning to a career in writing. She loves coffee, books and films.
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