Advent Week 2: Abstain

Advent, Abstain, Abide, Anticipate

Week 1 - Advent (Hope) - Lórien talks about God’s inability to be absent and why Advent is for us. Week 2 - Abstain (Peace) - Donny talks about abstaining/fasting and its relevance to Advent. Week 3 - Abide (Joy) - Lórien builds on abstaining by talk about the element of waiting, probably looking at John 15 where it talks about the vine and the branches. Week 4 - Anticipate (Love) - Donny talks about how making room, abstaining and waiting creates space for anticipation and celebration.

Last week, Lorien spoke about how God is unable to be absent, how why Advent is for us.

Today, we are going to look at the practice of abstaining. Now, when I see that word, it seems to be connected more to sexual intimacy than it does to what we’re going to focus on today. Yes - I hear that sigh of relief. :)

Abstaining - in particular fasting from food, has historically been practiced during advent as we prepare for the incarnation of the Lord - Immanuel - God With Us. However, protestantism, and its love of food and disdain of fasting, has had quite the influence on the church, and the practice of abstaining has become more of a rarity when it comes to Advent. In fact, you may have thought I was confusing Advent for Lent.

When we constantly feed ourselves, we find that we never feel hungry.

I hate feeling hungry. I love food.

Abstaining from things - food, entertainment, etc.

What if we had smart devices when Jesus was born? Some of us might not do more than just give a quick glance and then get back to what we were doing.

Abstaining from distractions

Matthew 25:1–13 NLT

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Abstaining from work / having it all in order or put together

Luke 10:38–42 NLT

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What do we do instead of feasting? We sit at the feet of Jesus.

What is one thing that you feel compelled to abstain from this Advent, as you look forward to the coming of the Lord? What is one distraction that you could do without, so you can be fully present and experience Jesus this season?