Here we are: the first week in Advent. With Black Friday madness fading in the memory, we're reminded still that the busy holiday season is upon us. In Year B, the weeks of Advent transport us from themes of watching and waiting (week 1); to preparing ourselves, our families, our community, and our world for Christ (week 2); to joining John the Baptist as a living proclamation of Christ’s coming (week 3); to assurance that God is truly at work in the world (week 4). As we prepare to tear open our gifts on Christmas, may we also find ways to prepare our hearts, for God promises to “tear open” the heavens and come down (Isaiah 64.1; Mark 1.10).
What does your Advent look like? Perhaps your songs may be in more minor keys than usual, tempos may be slower than usual, and the energy and excitement may be less intense than usual. To those for whom Advent is a foreign concept, this shift in the affect of worship is all part of the rhythm of life as it is lived out in our worship. To some, this may seem dry and lifeless, but these value judgments prevent us from embracing Advent for what it is: a time to reflect, to slow down, and to prepare. As any good musician knows, the rests are just as important as the notes. Advent prevents the Christmas season from overtaxing us. If we simply charge ahead into Christmas at full throttle, we will be burned out before we ever get to the celebration. How many of us really maintain the joyous holiday spirit for the full 12 days of Christmas that last until January 6? I don’t know about you, but some years, by the time December 26 rolls around, I’m ready to turn off the Christmas music, box up the decorations, and burn the tree!
Advent calls us to a different way of living, one of patience, confession, and personal reflection. Watch for Christ. Prepare for Christ. Proclaim Christ. Live Christ.
0 comments:
Post a Comment