“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” Joshua 5:15b

When I was a kid and went to the movie theatre, my favorite part was when the lights dimmed and an image of a projector appeared on the screen. Dashes of color would flow out of the lens of the simple graphic, while a few beats of music would repeat over and over again in the background.

That image and music conveyed the message that something wonderful was about to happen. I’d sit on the edge of my seat, with my mind and heart wide open to the possibility that I was about to see the greatest movie of my life.

It was in that moment that a sacred space was created. It existed between the outside world and the magic that was about to appear on the screen. The movie hadn’t started. There wasn’t any possible let down yet from bad acting, a terrible plot twist, or a disappointing ending. It was an interim filled with pure perfection and immense anticipation.

That’s Advent! If we approach it as an in-between time, separate from the fast paced life and what is yet to come, we slow down. We savor the days. We keep our minds and hearts wide open to the possibility that the greatest moment of our lives is about to happen.

From this stance, Advent becomes a sacred space, a place that exists separate from the outside world, with a focus on the magical and the miraculous that’s about to appear on Christmas morning. And because we already know the actors, plot twists, and ending of our Savior’s story, we’re never disappointed.

The only disappointment we’ll experience is if we miss Advent altogether. Sure, we can just show up on Christmas morning. We can even forget the true meaning, and still move on. But why would we?

Why would we want to miss this sacred time? It’s like leaving a treasure box waiting and unopened.

Let’s lift the lid, peer inside, and be utterly astounded at how God wants to prepare our hearts for the coming of His greatest gift: His Only Begotten Son.

Advent becomes a sacred space, a place that exists separate from the outside world, with a focus on the magical and the miraculous that’s about to appear on Christmas morning.

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Question for Reflection:

*In the midst of preparing for Christmas, have I slowed enough to experience the perfect in-between time in my heart?

Some Advent Resources to help create that sacred space: The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp, FORMED daily Advent videos, Advent in Narnia.

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