Ready or Not

Advent is not Christmas. And that may come as welcome news—a gentle alert that Christmas is drawing near. One of the gifts of Advent is that it gives us a countdown of sorts, a season to prepare. But preparation in Advent is far less about getting our homes ready for guests and far more about getting our hearts ready to welcome Jesus.

There’s a bit of irony in that. For centuries, the season of Advent has helped the church around the world prepare to receive the hope, peace, joy, love, and light of God given to us in Christ. Yet the irony is this: there was no warning the first time Jesus came, and there will be none the second time either.

The biblical narrative of Jesus’ first coming makes this abundantly clear. Matthew, Luke, and John tell the story with the benefit of hindsight, and still each one starts by anchoring the moment in history. Mark skips straight past the surprising birth altogether. They all recognize that the arrival of the Savior of the world was a sudden, unexpected burst of divine grace onto an ordinary scene.

Yes, there were signs in Scripture. Yes, prophecies pointed forward. But there was no countdown. No synagogue liturgy shifted for a special season. No set of songs signaled that the Messiah was due any moment. Life went on as usual with only a faint sense of God’s promises echoing through the centuries. Then, in an instant, everything changed. Mary woke up to an angel announcing news that would upend her life. Joseph learned the truth and, it seems, had one long night to decide how he would respond. They had nine months to prepare for a child, but in every practical way, the arrival had already come.

Paul writes in Romans 5 that Jesus died at “just the right time.” That means He was also born at just the right time. God had a plan. God knew what He was doing. He had made a promise, and He was bringing it to fulfillment—without consulting anyone first. One wonders what Mary or Joseph would have said if God had asked, “Are you ready for Advent?”

Jesus’ own teaching and the rest of the New Testament make it clear that His second coming will also be sudden. There will be no warning, no consultation with the people alive at the time. Jesus will return—bright, unmistakable, glorious—whether we are ready or not.

And that is the heart of Advent. It is a season of preparation, four weeks to slow down and focus on the hope, peace, joy, love, and light of the gospel. But it is also a reminder that the world will not get a heads-up the next time Christ comes. Advent encourages us to live ready—to shape our lives around the promise that Jesus will return to complete the redeeming work He began on the cross.

Advent is here, whether you’re ready or not. May it help us become ready for Him.