God with us
What a year! It wasn't too long ago (or was it?!) we talked about 2020 as the year of clear vision! There was so much excitement and hope about the future.
And then the unexpected happened…
Enter the Global Pandemic.
And, as if that wasn't enough, the exposure of broken systems, racism, and injustice then took the spotlight!
And it didn't end there… Can anyone say, "a House divided?" I'm looking at you, American Politics!
And that's just in our neck of the woods! I can't even begin to wrap my head around what our brothers and sisters in Honduras are experiencing because of the hurricanes.
If anything 2020 has taught or reminded us, it is "to expect the unexpected!"
We hear that phrase a lot. We say we believe it. But then it happens, and we are shocked!
It reminds me of other pithy sayings we throw around a lot.
"Prepare for the worst but expect the best."
"The best is yet to come."
"The best way to prepare for the future is to create it."
"Prepare, don't plan."
The last one haunts me. Anyone who knows me knows planning is not one of my strengths. However, that doesn't mean I don't create ideas and outcomes I long for. And when they don't happen or happen my way, I am crushed.
I mention this because I know I am not alone. I also say this because, as followers of Jesus, we are entering into a season that can restore hope and give us the strength to keep moving forward.
And this season I am referring to is… Advent!
Why Advent?
Because Advent was the moment when God's promise of deliverance, of freedom, of His presence, and the coming of His Kingdom became a reality. It was the moment "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us!" The moment when God said, "I am here," and "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
As I thought about this and 2020, I began to see some similarities between us and God's people who lived in the Roman Empire in the years surrounding the birth of Jesus. Like us, they longed for change, for relief, for a better and brighter tomorrow. Unlike most of us, they were suffering at the hands of an Empire who had no mercy for those who showed any discontent whatsoever.
Like us, they filtered their longings into ideas and plans of what God would do when He arrived. And, like many of us, they missed, rejected, or didn't see what God was up to when He did arrive because it didn't fit their "plan." They weren't prepared for Jesus because he wasn't what they wanted.
He didn't free them from Roman oppression. But to those who received, He showed them how to be free amid the oppression.
He didn't set them up as rulers to be served. Instead, He showed them how to lead through serving.
He didn't give them the power to crush their enemies. What He did was way more powerful. He showed them how to forgive and let go.
He didn't call them to take up the sword and fight. He did teach them to stand and win with generosity.
In short, Jesus revealed, opened the door, and invited all who desired to be a part of God's Kingdom and be free to live life the way God intended it to be!
We all have plans. We all want things to happen the way we want, especially in 2020, when nothing seems to be going our way. But what if God is up to something bigger than our agenda or what we want?
What if, instead of freeing us from the circumstances, God wants to show us how to be free amid what's happening?
What if God wants to prepare, equip, and free us to be all we are called and created to be no matter what comes our way?
What if God wants us to thrive in the unexpected instead of being derailed?
God's presence with us is where it all begins, and Advent gives us a great opportunity to rediscover and rely on that presence!
As Advent season begins, may we let go of our plans and prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, God's Chosen One. May we discover or rediscover the one who sets us free to become all we were called and created to be. And may His presence bring us the strength and hope to move forward, regardless of what comes our way!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Justin