Tuesday, Dec 5 | He is with us
December 5, 2017 | Linda Jackson
Editor's Note
About the author: Linda and her husband John are 20-year members of ZPC. They have 2 adult sons and a daughter in college. Linda serves on the ZPC Mission Commission as the communications liaison.
About this post: This blog post is part of a series of daily devotionals where we are exploring traditional Advent themes of waiting, mystery, redemption, and incarnation. To sign up to receive text notification of these posts, text zpc advent to 39970. Advent booklets are also available at the ZPC Welcome Center. We welcome your comments and questions each day.
Waiting | Luke 6:20-23
We live in an Amazon Prime, Buy Now world. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has perfected how to extract money from us faster, more instantaneously than ever. Bezos has tapped into a core attribute of the American people: We are an impatient lot.
In the words of the late American singer Tom Petty, “The waiting is the hardest part.” In fact, we can sometimes be like Veruca Salt in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” who whined to her Daddy, “I want it now!”
What's the point of waiting? What are we waiting for? What does it even mean to be blessed?
How do we stop this madness? What can we do to bring peace into our homes and our lives?
Advent gives us time to pause and ponder what matters. To reflect on Jesus’ birth and wait expectantly and joyfully for what is to come.
Sometimes we just may not be feeling it – we’re financially or emotionally drained; or we’re running on empty and hungering for something more. We may feel dejected or depressed, despite all the glittery lights and festive nights.
Yet Jesus is in the midst of it all. He is with us – Emmanuel.
In Luke 6:20-26 (The Message), Jesus reminds his followers what it means to be blessed:
You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.
God’s kingdom is there for the finding.
You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry.
Then you’re ready for the Messianic meal.
You’re blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.
Advent ushers in Hope. We don’t have to wait for it. Jesus is here. Now.
Prayer
Dear gracious and loving Lord, thank you for taking us as we are. Help us to slow down, savor our time with friends and family. If we’re struggling during this time of Advent, open our eyes to the blessings before us. You came into this world to give us hope, and we are grateful. May we willingly share that hope with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.