Therefore you also must be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming
at an unexpected hour.
Mt. 24:44
There's a story about a young woman and her grandmother at a worship service. The guest preacher began, "I'm coming..." but forgot what came next, so he began again, "I'm coming..." but still forgot. He started forcefully again, waving his arms wildly about, and losing his balance fell right into the lap of the young woman in the front row. She let out a horrifying scream. Her grandmother turned to her and said, "What did you scream for? He said he was coming."
ADVENT is the
beginning of the Christian year when God creates a new heaven and earth and the
former things are not remembered. (Is 65:17)
ADVENT is
a time of expectant waiting and preparation. Waiting for both the birth of
Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.
ADVENT is
a time of soul-examination and change. For Paul that means "to set aside
the works of darkness by abstaining from rowdy partying and drunkenness,
avoiding indecency and immorality, and refraining from quarreling and
jealousy."
ADVENT is
a time of putting on Jesus Christ. Do as Jesus did, put others first and
trust God to provide for us in all other ways.
If any
year feels to me as though we need to "not remember the former
things" and begin a new thing, this is it. Personally, it has been a toss-up
between the number of valleys and peaks. But that's true of our society enduring the valleys of pandemic, cultural tensions, and violence.
God's promise gives strength and hope in expectant waiting: The Son of
Man IS coming. There will be peaks of healing and peace. Wait patiently, for the Lord is coming.
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