Advent 1

I was exhausted last night. After two worship services I'll tell you about in a minute, then a coaching session, then cheering for our kids from one church riding our float in the town Christmas parade, then going to that same town's Christmas tree lighting service sponsored by our Ministerial Association, then rushing down the road 18 miles to the other church (which I live beside) to eat soup, fellowship, and "prepare" the greens (since we cannot be in the sanctuary to actually HANG them), I was tired.

I think waiting in felt silence (see post "The Sound of Silence" below), and exhausted, are good stances to assume at the beginning of the season of Advent. Only when we're waiting in silence and exhausted are we in a position fully to acknowledge that we're helpless to save, control, or help ourselves. Only when we're waiting in the silence, and exhausted, are we needy enough to ask Christ to "come" for us again to save and help and heal us, and then to embrace him truly when he arrives, letting him change us.

Our worship yesterday took a very different form from your typical Sunday service. We began it by adopting a spirit of worship before the God who has promised to come and be present with us. We then acknowledged just how desperately we need what only a Savior can provide by praying for the needs of the world, as individuals led us in prayer for those suffering from HIV/AIDS and other diseases, for victims of violence and natural disasters, those in military service, the leaders of nations, and others.

Then we heard the promise of God, through the Prophet Isaiah, that a Savior will come to bring healing and peace. We celebrated that promise in song and prayer. Only then could we "hang the greens" and thank God for the first fulfillment of that promise in the coming of Christ into the world, remembering with each "green" an aspect of Christ and his kingdom. Celebrating his first coming, and the beginning of God's promise being fulfilled, led us then to hear from Christ himself (in Matthew's Gospel) about the day of his second "advent", or coming, on which the promised day of peace will finally fully come.

At that, we heard from Paul's letter to the Romans how we are to prepare for that day by "living in the light," and we committed ourselves through song-prayer to being people of the light. Finally, through sharing at Christ's table of sacrifice and victory, we were empowered to live as people of the light, prepared for Christ's return, acting as his body until he comes again. We were sent forth to live that reality.

Maybe because I didn't preach (trust me, this was just as much work :-)),this service for me was a beautiful remembrance of God's promise, and the fulfillment of that promise, that we celebrate and await in this season. I hope I wasn't the only one who was touched by God in the sharing. And by the way, if you were one of the people who led a prayer or read a scripture in that service, THANK YOU for helping me to pray to God and hear the Lord's Word.