He's Coming!

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.