Hallmark Christmas movies seem to come earlier every year. Some love them. Others, not so much. One thing that’s great about these Christmas movies is that they are predictably, inevitably heartwarming. A typical movie occurs in a picturesque small town where a handsome, career-focused bachelor from the big city reconnects with his high school friend. She’s recently widowed. A conflict occurs around her cookie shop that is about to be shut down because of some new ordinance passed by the antagonist mayor. But romance between the city guy and his old friend ensues, and the Christmas spirit rekindles the heart of an antagonist which culminates with a festive celebration and a comical, romantic mistletoe kiss (cue the snowmaker). Hot cocoa, cookies, and peace prevail.

Perfect endings and peace are hard to come by on Earth, but we all long for it, and perhaps that why those movies, no matter how predictable, continue to be celebrated. Advent celebrates a different story. It happened in a broken world, full of injustice until the one and only Creator stepped from glory to the grit of this war-torn world to offer us everlasting peace.”

It’s great for an escape, but life is a little different. Perfect endings and peace are hard to come by on Earth, but we all long for it, and perhaps that why those movies, no matter how predictable, continue to be celebrated. Advent celebrates a different story. It happened in a broken world, full of injustice until the one and only Creator stepped from glory to the grit of this war-torn world to offer us everlasting peace.

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