By GEORGE HOLLIS/Guest Columnist

Well, we are officially in the Advent (Latin: ad-venio, to come to) season and are coming toward the birth of Jesus Christ.

Spiritually we are excited because God is coming to live among us.

God is coming to live as a person so we all can see, record and understand for all generations what God expects of us.

God is also coming to make a new Covenant with us.

Through Jesus Christ, remembered in us by the Holy Spirit, God promises to give us hope, peace, joy and love if we can just love others as Jesus Christ loves us (John 13:34).

The second promise of Christ is that death, the last enemy of mankind, has been defeated and heaven has been opened to those that have chosen the way of love.

Everyone, not only Christians, also feel the tingling and jingling of the season.

The whole world is moved by Christmas.

Advent started officially in 1907, when the Church declared that the Sunday closest to November 30 (St. Andrew Day) to be the first Sunday of Advent. But, ever since the year 380, when the Church declared December 25 to be the birth day of Christ, people have been “coming to” in celebration and gift giving this glorious day.

As God is working in the life of every individual on earth to make them more loving, God’s Spirit is especially strong, or better said, God’s created people are especially receptive, to being more loving during this time of waiting.

Certainly commerce is joyful about the Christmas season, but, all over the world, ever since three wise men came bringing gifts, people of every gender, shape and color, have found this time of year to be a time giving.

The Rev. George Hollis is pastor of Cahaba Valley Church, 5099 Caldwell Mill Road. You can reach him at hollistree@aol.com.