“The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.
“Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,
and the cedars of Lebanon (Isaiah 14:7-8)
“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious. (Isaiah 60:13)

In many churches, Advent begins with a service known as “The Hanging of the Greens.” I think this tradition comes from England. They will include a responsive reading like the words above. While many will decorate their sanctuary before the first Sunday in Advent, some churches actually do the decorating as part of a worship service. In those services, they talk about the symbolism and meaning of many of the decorations.

Something you see almost everywhere at this time of year is greenery, especially evergreens. Among ancient Greeks and Romans, evergreens were an emblem of peace, joy, and victory. They would make laurel wreaths to put on the heads of winners, like they still do in the Olympics. Holly and ivy, along with pine, and fir are called evergreens because they never change color. They are ever – green, ever – alive, even in the midst of winter. These have come to symbolize the unchanging nature of our God, and they remind us of the everlasting life that is ours through Christ Jesus. Early Christians placed evergreens in their windows to indicate that Christ had entered their home.

Holly is an evergreen that has both thorns and berries. The thorns can serve as a reminder of the crown of thorns Jesus wore in His passion, and the red berries remind us of the blood He shed for us.

As you look at the greenery around you today, remember that it is a reminder of Jesus is alive and that you have everlasting life because of your faith in Him.