Second Thursday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Habakkuk 2:1-5
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
The Lord’s Answer2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. 4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness— 5 indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
Philippians 3:7-11
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Surprises slow to arrive
by Heather Welch
Heather Welch is drawing on her experience in church leadership, her former pastoral role and gifting as a communicator to help bridge the important journey ahead within the Church as we currently know it. Her desire for collaboration, while reimagining what the church can look & sound like, is her passion. Heather’s Comms role at Hagar’s Voice is where she holds the tension of discovery between the vast, harsh realities of abuse within the church, and the courageous voices that are rising up. Hagar’s Voice is a non-profit (under the Boundless umbrella) that was created out of the need to provide a place for survivors of clergy sexual abuse to come together and find advocacy and support. ‘Together we rise to stop abuse and start building a better way.’ It was Heather’s own story that brought her to Hagar’s Voice. Her commitment to other survivors is to honour and value their stories by listening and standing in solidarity. Her commitment to church leaders is to continue to develop awareness to stop abuse and start telling the truth around systems of power and oppression. Heather’s heart is full of hope for the future church.
I love everything about surprises. I appreciate the thought and effort necessary to create a successful surprise party. The collaboration required, the time offered, and the kindness demonstrated. All that love wrapped up in the word surprise makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I have been an active participant in several surprise parties over the years. I will say, the waiting is the most difficult aspect for me. Anticipating the look of astonishment on our beloved’s face, the disbelief and bafflement when the realization sinks in that all this was for them! Waiting to witness and experience the amazement of it all, tests my patience to new levels.
During this Advent Season, as we wait for the coming Christ, I wonder what surprises are in store. I wonder what discoveries are hiding around the corner. For some of us, we know the story regarding the birth of Jesus inside out, we know the outcome like the back of our hand. We have heard it told thousands of times in hundreds of ways including all the genuine attempts at bringing new insights and fresh ideas to the stable.
This raises a question we might consider during Advent. Can we experience beauty, mystery and wonder while holding the tension between the predictable narrative and the unexpected surprises that await us while looking for the coming King?
So much of the Christmas season brings with it, traditions, nostalgia and experiences from the past that influence so many of our decisions that it leaves little to no room for the unexpected. If the uninvited happened to show up at the door, would we even hear the bells ringing?
The reality of increasing darkness, literally and figuratively, that surrounds us, coupled with the beauty of Advent, inviting us to wait and anticipate our Coming King is a tension we are invited into.
The Prophet Habakkuk offered the Lord’s reply during the last days of Judah before its fall to Babylon, stating; “If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Perhaps there is richness in that instruction we can unearth today.
May I ask…what is your it?
If it seems slow in coming, is your it:
opportunities,
results,
influence,
relationships,
hope,
joy?
Personally, in the last few years, beauty has been discovered for me in the space called, waiting. This is the place in between what was and what will be. One of the most difficult aspects of my ‘waiting room’ was accepting that I didn’t ask to be put there. It was out of my control. There is no easy way to say it other than beauty has come through suffering in surprising ways. I wasn’t always able to see it, the pain too blinding, but with the gift of time and truth working in harmony, I was slowly granted the treasure of experiencing hope again.
I deeply resonate with the Psalmist who writes “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They will weep as they go to plant their seed, but they will sing as they return with the harvest.”
It can seem like we are in seasons of planting that last for years, not months! This is where our tears water the seeds and we wonder if the harvest will ever come again. This is a legitimate concern. A concern I believe Mary and the Israelites understood at the time of Christ’s birth. Would their Deliverer ever come?
This space can be given so many different names depending on the story you are living. It requires every ounce of faith to intentionally witness the beauty, mystery, and wonder that Jesus desires for us to experience amid uncertainty. During some of my darkest days, as I closed my eyes to rest, I would ask myself, “Did I experience beauty in the small things? Did I grieve well today?”
Friends, during this Advent season we wait, and for some of us, it is as we weep. I wonder if we might consider setting out on a little adventure.
Can we hold the tension of both /and, while staying true to the anticipatory heart of Advent, and finding peace as we wait?
Can we allow ourselves to discover surprising moments found between the predictable and the unexpected?
Can we behold these moments as sacred and intentionally offer our focus, time, and resources to enhance the revelation of ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done?’
There is surprising beauty all around us, it can be found in the mundane, in the predicable and in the unforeseen. Perhaps our child-like wonder needs to be revisited as we set our gaze upon Jesus.
My prayer for us during this Advent season is a fresh discovery of the surprising beauty found within the traditions and truths that have held fast for over two thousand years. May you and yours, experience the love of Christ Jesus, a love that surpasses all knowledge and understanding. Together may we experience how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Peace.
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Explore the year’s Advent Reader posts:
There is a small forest near my home that I love to walk in at dusk. The trail is well-worn. My feet know the way by heart. Why do I choose this trail time and again? There are certainly ones that are more peaceful and full. Maybe it's because God and I have done a lot of business there together. I've looked for His divine presence in the soft pine needles on the earthen floor on more than one occasion. I've added a lot of tearful prayers to the sounds of gently swaying trees as night falls…
As I reflect on today’s scripture readings and read in John how the religious people of the day denied Christ, it makes me think of those who are skeptical of reconciliation, those who are so comfortable with this present life that they do not want to think of our past history and the life’s journey of Indigenous people who have survived residential school or descendants who are suffering from inter-generational trauma. I have to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” “Who does He call us to be?” “How do we obey the Great Commandment?”
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For someone who deals with anxiety, the fact that the Bible often says "Do not be afraid" is always hard for me. This is how Psalm 27 begins. Stating, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” I can see how this makes sense…
What can the birth of a man 2000 years ago possibly have to do with people who live today? This question came to rest in my thoughts as I was mowing my lawn for the last time this year. I ruminated on it while attempting to avoid disturbing the fallen leaves that provide a safe refuge for the wildlife that overwinters in them…
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Welcome to the sixth annual New Leaf Advent Reader. I am so excited to share this collection of reflections with you! In 2018, when we put out our first set of daily reflections, I felt like I was leveraging the whole network to find people willing to write a reflection for this unknown project…
Explore last year’s Advent Reader:
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This day has been dark and gloomy. My window was enveloped in fog when I got up this morning. I could barely see the building next door. For some of us, this would have been a depressing day. But as I prayed and looked intently into the blanket of fog, I saw a vision of a little girl grabbing onto the right hand of Jesus…
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In my short life so far, I have faced many seasons and situations that have looked a lot like what you might call “dead ends.” Dead ends to previously comfortable ways of thinking, physical and mental health, vocational pursuits, and relationships. I have faced dead ends in areas of my life that at one point I would have boldly said God had led me to, perhaps even ordained. Likely, similar to you…
This year's Advent Reader theme is Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
The lectionary reading for today includes Psalm 42, which, in my opinion, contains a lot of unknowns. Ah, good ol' Psalm 42. If you're older (like me), then the first line is bound to bring to mind the 1984 worship song titled "As the Deer." If you know this popular Christian chorus, I bet you're humming the tune as you read…
Ah! The third week of Advent. The week of Joy! We light the rose candle on Sunday, signifying the joyous anticipation of the Lord’s coming. The rose candle is sometimes called the Shepherds’ Candle to remind us that the good news of great joy was first announced to common people. Common people! Not the rich, not the elite, not the royal, not the fittest and greatest among us, but people that don’t usually draw attention…
Rich in majesty and mystery Mary’s Magnificat is written like a poetic doxology. A hymn of praise, it begins individually and ends communally as it spotlights God’s mercy and might, God’s holiness, and saving help. Singing it reminds us of who God is. Reminds us that God sees us. Helps us to see each other…
Richard Wagamese, in his novel A Quality of Light, has a white father say to his adopted Indigenous son, “You’ve got all the chapters and verses. The only thing you don’t understand is the begats. And believe me, son, no one ever reads the begats.” But that’s not true. Wagamese’s story reveals that the son did need to understand his “begats.” He needed to know the stories and details about where he came from…
Slowly, hesitatingly, the bunny ears come together. With a look of intense concentration, one loop passes over the other and then under. We should have been out the door ten minutes ago, but in this moment only one thing matters – tying her own shoes…
Recently, the realities of living in the unknown and starting something new have just felt a bit heavy. Thankfully, a friend of mine reminded me of some things I had forgotten and a few truths I simply didn’t know how to apply in this new environment in this new land I inhabit. I said to him that “someone should write this stuff down and put a warning label on it, haha.” That pretty much describes the Bible, doesn’t it?
At the mid-way point in the pandemic unveiling (or nightmare, if you prefer), I had nearly convinced myself that the Christian faith was no longer for me. You remember this time, I’m sure. We had all stopped cheering for healthcare workers, and winter was setting in, so we didn’t even have daylight after work anymore to remind us that life might still be worth the effort…
There is a four-letter word I am not particularly fond of at the moment. I suppose it makes sense in some situations. In other circumstances, I can hear it without getting annoyed. But where I am right now, in this season of life, with growing disillusionment, mounting frustration, transitions looming, and uncertainty around the corner, I am admittedly just not in a place to hear it…
I don’t want to dwell in the mystery of Advent. I don’t want to dwell in the mystery of anything. I am tired of the uncertainty. I am very aware of my likeness to withering grass and fading flowers (Isa. 40:6-7), and I am very, very tired. What I want is assurance. I just want those green pastures and still waters of Psalm 23.
I’m not a natural waiter.
I don’t mean the waiter that tends restaurant tables. I’ve spent plenty of time working those jobs to be proficient. I’m not great as someone waiting for their longings to be answered…
I was spending too much time on Twitter the other day. I should have known better.
Sure enough, in my scrolling I came across a clip of a Christian at a political rally in a southern state in the United States praying, "Lord I pray, in the name of Jesus, that you would allow conservatives to win ... I pray that Christians turn out all over *the State* and that we vote for the person most like you, Lord. And I believe that is *name* of the politician." The prayer concluded with applause…
What image does the word “mystery” conjure up for you? For me, it ranges from a wonderful novel that draws me into the unknown to the breathtaking night skies I experienced when camping in the summer to the terrifying moments I had in the hospital. The element of mystery is an odd mix of fun and dread…
This week marks the start of the Advent season, to which I say, “Bring on the Christmas carols, cards, and gifts; twinkle lights, sugar cookies, and peppermint hot chocolate; put on your fuzzy pyjamas; play festive movies; and put up your Christmas tree with me!” To some, this might not seem like a sincere, faithful response anticipating Christ’s birth…
One of the enduring mysteries, not only of Advent but of the entire premise that God is intimately invested in the wellbeing of the cosmos, is the blurring of lines between creator and creation, between sovereignty and submission, between strength and weakness, between inception and completion…
I have been learning that in life, there are many uncertain roads to walk. Uncertainty seems to be more prevalent now, as many of us face global pandemic uncertainties alongside all the other existing ones…