Disrupted Patterns

This Advent message invites us into the wilderness with John the Baptist before we rush to the manger. His call to repent cuts through our holiday busyness—not as guilt or self-improvement, but as a simple reorientation of our hearts toward God’s kingdom. Like Israel in the wilderness, we can drift into patterns and priorities that dull our calling. In Matthew 3:1–12, John wakes us up to what might be blocking Christ’s work in our lives—habits, mindsets, or distractions that keep us from seeing the miracle in front of us. Advent becomes not just an early Christmas celebration, but a sacred time of releasing what keeps us from receiving what God wants to give. Even our favorite Christmas stories echo this truth: real joy comes through real transformation.