era of the advents

You would have to live under a rock to be unaware of the T. Swift craze that has overtaken the 21st century world of pop. Taylor’s rise to fame is fascinating, and though I have never listened to one of her albums in its entirety and am far from qualified to claim the title “swiftie,” I legitimately appreciate the determination and grit that the woman has poured into the artistry of not only her music but also every aspect of her performance.

The legendary artist popularized the word eras by naming her 2023-2024 blockbuster tour The Eras Tour, an homage to the “eras” of her ten studio albums. Swift cultivated an image that has captivated a large swathe of the world. The international show has been compared to a Broadway play in its ingenuity and complexity, from the carefully crafted set list that is divided into “Acts” to the elaborate wardrobe and impressive stage design and special effects. Some swifties even dressed in their favorite “era” to attend the concert, and many who could not score a ticket to a live show donned their swiftie garb and hightailed it to the movie theaters to sing and dance as they watched Taylor perform on the big screen.

As grand as Swift’s fame is, arguably surpassing that of the late pop superstar Michael Jackson and so expansive that she can credibly define her career in “eras,” I am rendered speechless when I think of the surpassing greatness of God in comparison. Not to minimize Swift’s accomplishments, but they are only a drop in the ocean, a grain of sand along an endless shoreline, a distant star in a universe riddled by trillions of pinpoints of light. A stadium full of humans may proclaim the greatness of a talented performer, but as the songwriter says in Psalm 19:1-4,

The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.

All of creation proclaims the magnificence of God, and to Him belong the most important eras in the history of the universe. The Cambridge Dictionary defines era as “a period of time of which particular events or stages of development are typical.” The era in which we are currently living makes one of T. Swift’s eras look like a single ant perched upon a thousand acres of dirt mounds. This present age is bookmarked by two events of unrivaled magnitude. One occurred over two millenia ago, and the other is yet to come. The First Advent and the Second Advent. Christ’s birth and his impending physical return.

It is the era in which Jesus reigns in Heaven seated next to the Father and we rejoice in his victory over death centuries ago. It is also an era in which we wait expectantly for him to return to set all things right once and for all, ushering in the new heavens and the new earth. We experience pain and suffering alongside beauty and joy. We are caught in the great tension of the already—not yet phenomenon that defines this earthly life between the two advents of Christ. Peter speaks of this tension in the opening of his 1st letter:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:3-9).

I have been truly blessed this season by the devotional Advent 2025: Tidings of Comfort and Joy, published by She Reads Truth. Providing daily scripture readings alongside practical teaching points and journaling space, the guide has helped me to meditate on the importance of this period of preparation and waiting. I know my words sound like an advertisement, but this a far cry from a paid endorsement, and it’s unlikely that She Reads Truth will ever know about my recommendation! I share it with you, however, because I wanted to provide a background to the quote that follows.

The author of the devotional writes, “Generations before us have faced devastation and seemingly hopeless circumstances, and in our own lifetimes we will continue to encounter deep suffering and pain. But in the middle of a sin-stained world and tragedies that bring us to our knees before the Lord, we must decide how we want to navigate our own yearning for all God has promised. Unlike those before Christ’s arrival, our waiting occurs with both the joy of Jesus’s having already come and the hope of what will be when He comes again. By participating in the season of Advent each year, we practice how to wait. We wait in remembrance of why the Messiah came, receiving joy and relief when we read of all God has done for us. We wait with faith, finding comfort and peace because He is indeed coming again” (Advent 2025 p. 93).

The practice of Advent is an annual reminder of the remarkable era in which we live. Jesus has already come to atone for our sin, and he is coming again to conquer death forever. The book of Acts tells us that as the disciples watched Jesus ascend into heaven, “…a cloud took him out of their sight…two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go…” (Acts 1:9-11).

May we be found ready and waiting for that day when he returns to us. Whether it dawns in my lifetime, or generations down the road, I will continue to seek God with everything in me and live according to the two greatest commandments—to love Him with all my heart, soul and mind and to love my neighbor as myself (Mt. 22:37-39). As confidently as I declare this, the reality is that I know I will accomplish these goals very imperfectly—my sinful nature will wreak havoc on myself and those I love even though my heart wants only to do what is right in God’s eyes (Rom. 7:15-23). Jesus came for the sick and the sinners (Mt. 9:12-13), and I can absolutely claim those titles.

Praise the Lord for His forgiveness and grace, without which I would have no hope. Instead, I live with a fullness of peace, knowing that He is refining me daily, gently restoring me when I fail and using me as an instrument to spread His love and His name. Victory and failure. Reconciliation and hostility. Healing and suffering. Already. Not yet. This is God’s era in which we live.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Rev. 19:11-13).