Lilias Trotter Legacy is delighted to introduce our new on-line devotional
LIGHT OF LIFE
a daily guide for the Advent Season
Advent means “coming.” In the church calendar, the Season of Advent begins four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. In many ways it is a time of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth much like Lent is a season of preparation for Holy Week – Christ’s Passion, death, and resurrection.
This devotional is designed as an aid to help you and your family focus on Christ during Advent – a time of year often cluttered with distractions and busyness. Each week focuses on a particular aspect of the story of Jesus in anticipation of His birth: Week One – the prophets who foretold Christ’s coming; Week Two – the city of David (Bethlehem) where Christ was born; Week Three – the shepherds who first witnessed the baby Jesus; Week Four – the angels who heralded the Incarnation. The story culminates, of course, with the birth of Christ who is the Light of the world.
Each devotional introduces the daily topic, a painting and quote by Lilias Trotter, related Scripture with several thought/discussion questions, and concludes with a meditation. The daily readings gradually builds a comprehensive picture of the Christmas Story, much like a jigsaw puzzle, taking shape with each added piece.
Many churches and families celebrate Advent with a candle lighting ceremony. There are five candles within the Advent wreath, each one lit in succession weekly, culminating in the lighting of the Christ candle on Christmas Eve. The four weekly candles are traditionally deep purple in color to signify the royalty of the Christ child. In some traditions a pink or rose colored candle is lit on the third week of Advent to signify the joy of the occasion of the shepherd’s discovery of the birth of Messiah in Bethlehem. The Christ candle, in the center, is white symbolizing His purity, being born of the virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and being without sin in His life. More important than the color of the candles, however, is the symbolism of the lit candles, anticipating the light that Jesus – The Light of Life – brought to the darkened world!
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