" Until the Angels Say "

 

Dear Jesus-Followers and Jesus-Believers,

This year the calendar matches perfectly.  December 1^st is the first day of ADVENT!  …And Advent is the first season of the liturgical year.  And the first word of the first season is …* WAIT *. 

…Do not pass “GO” …do not collect $200 …do not put up your Christmas decorations! 

—Oh WAIT …some of us already have! 

The city of El Dorado’s public lighting was November 21^st! 

Restaurants have been blaring Christmas carols since before Halloween! 

And Hobby Lobby …has Christmas aisles that NEVER go into hiding! 

But before you label me a “Bah humbug-er” …

·       Consider that Advent …is not Christmas.  When Christians began celebrating Advent, it was a time of spiritual preparation for celebrating the incarnation.  Like Lent which preceded the celebration of Easter.  Some patterns of Advent were 6-9 weeks of “spiritual (and other) preparation.” 

·       Just because the secular celebrations of Christmas have shifted from 12 days following December 25^th, to 6-8 weeks BEFORE December 25^th, doesn’t mean we should readjust how we spiritually move through the seasons. 

·       The Bible reminds us of what it means to wait in hope for what God is doing.  In our world, it’s easy to get caught up in our certainty about the birth of Jesus, that we busy ourselves with the preparation for that event, rather than preparing ourselves to discover the ongoing manifestations of God’s incarnation! 

Advent …is not just a counting down of the days until Christmas!  It’s not a season in which we “check off” the things that must be accomplished for our annual celebrations (shopping lists, meal preparations, and parties).  Advent is a time to notice our world, and align ourselves with the ways of God …that almost always are a surprise (like opening a gift on Christmas morning)! 

If you’ve already put up your Christmas tree and redecorated for the holidays …you’re not doing it wrong.  But how well are we anticipating God’s surprises when we’re simply about locking ourselves into the rhythms of every other Christmas?  How ready are we to receive the realities of God’s incarnation if it must follow the familiar pattern?  Can we really see what God has in mind for us and others, insisting that familiarity decides how we should feel? 

When the angel appeared to Mary …it was a surprise.  When the angel appeared to Joseph …it was a surprise.  When the angels showed up for the Shepherds …it was a startling surprise.  And while we are fairly certain that the “good news” of Jesus’ birth is “the reason for the season,” ADVENT invites us to ask some different questions. 

We believe that God is still coming …and not like the first time.  Do we know what to look for?  Or will we miss opportunities to witness it because we’re engrossed in sales and wrapping paper and getting it all done early?  What about the peace of God which passes all understanding—are we pursuing that?  What about invitations to share, to be ready, to live into HOPE, to have worry salved because God is afoot and coming to us—are we pursuing this? 

This Advent we will sing familiar songs.  We will observe familiar rituals.  We will anticipate Christmas, even though it is already happening for some people.  We will try to imagine again what it is like to wait and hope, to anticipate but not jump too soon.  We will tell the stories once again and invite ourselves to not be so urgent about the ending.  We will walk by faith, and not by sight, until the angels say, “All is calm and all is bright.”