Today is the first Sunday in Advent, a time of waiting. For Christians, this is our time of expectantly anticipating the arrival of Christ- the celebration of hope and all that God promises in the birth of our Savior. In the past I have written daily musings and devotional emails during Advent and Lent, this year I plan to write here in my blog, and then I will have them all in one place rather than having to jog back and forth from email to files.
So why Jesus? I truly look forward to this "most wonderful time of the year" like none other. I have a countdown on my phone, I think about how I will place my decorations out this year, I wait for that magical moment when Thanksgiving is over and I can start adorning my home with treasured decor. I have traditions that drive my family a little crazy, but someday they will miss those things when I am gone. (I think!) As many songs express, it can be a wonderful time of year. More often than not it is a time of sadness, anguish, debt and loneliness. This year, as I begin my own Advent study, I chose an old book from 2002 titled While We Wait by Mary Lou Redding. I like to have a personal study to keep myself focused on the season, and this one seems fitting for me this year. The subtitle is "Living the Questions of Advent". I wanted a study this year to stretch me, to help me ponder the thoughts swirling around in my head and heart. We've heard the story countless time in 'feel good, warm fuzzy' fashion, but I wanted something deeper this year.
Some of what I am pondering as I wait: a dear friend diagnosed Thanksgiving week with aggressive cancer, and already in treatment (a far cry from turkey left overs).
Our only daughter navigating the waters of divorce and our first holiday season 'sharing' our granddaughters as visitation schedules are worked out. A world so seemingly out of control that I wonder when the terror and killing will move closer to home and how I will handle it. The endless rhetoric from flashy politicians, when all I want is someone that will really hear the people, and do what is best for us. My list could go on and on, as I'm sure yours could as well. So why Jesus? Why revisit this ancient story and all of the promise of a better life? For me, because that is exactly what I need! A sense of hope that there is something way bigger than cancer, divorce and horrid terror killings. A realization that the God I put my trust in, and decided to follow back in 1971 at a revival on my knees, is the same God that gave hope to a world in despair.
I pray my writings this year will spark a little bit of wonder in your life too. That you will look deeper than the sparkle and hype of the Christmas season and look at the real reason, and maybe we all can have an answer come December 24 of "why Jesus" is the real solution we are seeking.
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father, when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones." NIV
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