Advent
Just like Fat Tuesday is about gorging oneself before a season of fasting, Black Friday is the most ironic warm up to a season of waiting. Be honest, how many things were in your Amazon cart (or do you wish were there), and you won’t be waiting until December 25th to open them up for yourself. I know, I know, groan.
Advent isn’t a groan-worthy season of waiting. It’s high on anticipation. Eagerness. The four candles are hope, peace, joy, love. To get the Advent spirit, I feel like it’s more appropriate to write that as Hope! Peace! JOY! Love!
And so much of that Hope! is built up in Scripture right alongside awareness of the darkness. The anticipation builds actually because of its contrast to the darkness. It’s the Christmas tree that needs to be turned on because the living room is so dark (at 4pm, no less). Imagine how much less joy there’d be in a Christmas tree turned on at 4pm in July!
The anticipation of joy and hope are brighter when we acknowledge just how much we need them. Not like, I need a pickleball net, but like, we need peace. Aching, longing, but not with a groan in this season as much as with a, come onnnnn…… it’s almost here! I can’t wait!
The Bible puts the two together, the darkness and the light, building up the contrast of the hope that Jesus brings to a world so in need of his return. Check this out, from the famous declaration of hope in Isaiah 61 that Jesus said he fulfilled in Luke 4:
The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the poor
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1-3a
The green just isn’t as good – it doesn’t get the !!! and the ALL CAPS HOPE unless you are the one who knows that you are poor, broken-hearted, captive, bound, mourning, ashen. Crudely put, you’re just not as excited about the Amazon delivery unless you know it’s bringing you something that you really needed. Then, you’re watching the delivery alerts. You’re at the door while it’s still in hand… “THANK YOU!” Breaking it open…
This, friends, is a very simple, commercial experience of Advent. Of the JOY! That comes in the anticipation of Christmas because we know we are a people in need of a Savior, a people celebrating that God came and is coming again!
This hope isn’t just for us as individuals, it’s hope for the world. Hope for a war-torn, grief-filled, fear-motivated globe. Even creation is groaning for the revelation of God’s return! (Romans 8:18-25)
Let me invite you into Advent, into waiting with !!! and HOPE for you, for me, and for the world. We’ll launch into Advent this Sunday in our gatherings and in our neighborhood life. Check out how to join us here.
Let’s be eager in our anticipation of the Hope of the World returning to us. And may he find us ready.
Pastor Megan
