Second Thursday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Habakkuk 2:1-5
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
The Lord’s Answer2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. 4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness— 5 indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
Philippians 3:7-11
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Surprises slow to arrive
by Heather Welch
Heather Welch is drawing on her experience in church leadership, her former pastoral role and gifting as a communicator to help bridge the important journey ahead within the Church as we currently know it. Her desire for collaboration, while reimagining what the church can look & sound like, is her passion. Heather’s Comms role at Hagar’s Voice is where she holds the tension of discovery between the vast, harsh realities of abuse within the church, and the courageous voices that are rising up. Hagar’s Voice is a non-profit (under the Boundless umbrella) that was created out of the need to provide a place for survivors of clergy sexual abuse to come together and find advocacy and support. ‘Together we rise to stop abuse and start building a better way.’ It was Heather’s own story that brought her to Hagar’s Voice. Her commitment to other survivors is to honour and value their stories by listening and standing in solidarity. Her commitment to church leaders is to continue to develop awareness to stop abuse and start telling the truth around systems of power and oppression. Heather’s heart is full of hope for the future church.
I love everything about surprises. I appreciate the thought and effort necessary to create a successful surprise party. The collaboration required, the time offered, and the kindness demonstrated. All that love wrapped up in the word surprise makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I have been an active participant in several surprise parties over the years. I will say, the waiting is the most difficult aspect for me. Anticipating the look of astonishment on our beloved’s face, the disbelief and bafflement when the realization sinks in that all this was for them! Waiting to witness and experience the amazement of it all, tests my patience to new levels.
During this Advent Season, as we wait for the coming Christ, I wonder what surprises are in store. I wonder what discoveries are hiding around the corner. For some of us, we know the story regarding the birth of Jesus inside out, we know the outcome like the back of our hand. We have heard it told thousands of times in hundreds of ways including all the genuine attempts at bringing new insights and fresh ideas to the stable.
This raises a question we might consider during Advent. Can we experience beauty, mystery and wonder while holding the tension between the predictable narrative and the unexpected surprises that await us while looking for the coming King?
So much of the Christmas season brings with it, traditions, nostalgia and experiences from the past that influence so many of our decisions that it leaves little to no room for the unexpected. If the uninvited happened to show up at the door, would we even hear the bells ringing?
The reality of increasing darkness, literally and figuratively, that surrounds us, coupled with the beauty of Advent, inviting us to wait and anticipate our Coming King is a tension we are invited into.
The Prophet Habakkuk offered the Lord’s reply during the last days of Judah before its fall to Babylon, stating; “If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Perhaps there is richness in that instruction we can unearth today.
May I ask…what is your it?
If it seems slow in coming, is your it:
opportunities,
results,
influence,
relationships,
hope,
joy?
Personally, in the last few years, beauty has been discovered for me in the space called, waiting. This is the place in between what was and what will be. One of the most difficult aspects of my ‘waiting room’ was accepting that I didn’t ask to be put there. It was out of my control. There is no easy way to say it other than beauty has come through suffering in surprising ways. I wasn’t always able to see it, the pain too blinding, but with the gift of time and truth working in harmony, I was slowly granted the treasure of experiencing hope again.
I deeply resonate with the Psalmist who writes “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They will weep as they go to plant their seed, but they will sing as they return with the harvest.”
It can seem like we are in seasons of planting that last for years, not months! This is where our tears water the seeds and we wonder if the harvest will ever come again. This is a legitimate concern. A concern I believe Mary and the Israelites understood at the time of Christ’s birth. Would their Deliverer ever come?
This space can be given so many different names depending on the story you are living. It requires every ounce of faith to intentionally witness the beauty, mystery, and wonder that Jesus desires for us to experience amid uncertainty. During some of my darkest days, as I closed my eyes to rest, I would ask myself, “Did I experience beauty in the small things? Did I grieve well today?”
Friends, during this Advent season we wait, and for some of us, it is as we weep. I wonder if we might consider setting out on a little adventure.
Can we hold the tension of both /and, while staying true to the anticipatory heart of Advent, and finding peace as we wait?
Can we allow ourselves to discover surprising moments found between the predictable and the unexpected?
Can we behold these moments as sacred and intentionally offer our focus, time, and resources to enhance the revelation of ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done?’
There is surprising beauty all around us, it can be found in the mundane, in the predicable and in the unforeseen. Perhaps our child-like wonder needs to be revisited as we set our gaze upon Jesus.
My prayer for us during this Advent season is a fresh discovery of the surprising beauty found within the traditions and truths that have held fast for over two thousand years. May you and yours, experience the love of Christ Jesus, a love that surpasses all knowledge and understanding. Together may we experience how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Peace.
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