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Advent Reflections

This advent season has been a special one for my wife and I.  If you our familiar with our story you would know we have waited a number of years for our family to fill out.  We were blessed beyond measure with Abbie in 2015 but still longed for another. On October 11th, 2017 we added our sweet Olivia to our flock and a rush of peace entered our hearts. Olivia's mere existence settled my heart in such a way where I felt I was really able to pay attention to the state of my soul and connect with the Lord in an unhurried fashion. We had our girls and all felt right in our world. 

So this Advent season I was intentional about working through an advent reading plan. For those curious, I used this book as a scripture and prayer guide to follow along with. I have always found it help to enter into someone else's written prayers to see what prayers may surface from my own heart.

One of the scriptures that has been churning in my heart all season long is Psalm 85:8-12 which reads: 

Ps 85:8   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.  

Ps 85:10    Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  NRSV

Verses 10 and 11 are absolutely captivating to me. There is a mystery here  that I think we need to pay attention to, at least I know I do. There is something beautiful about the union of these words that seems to unlock some of the mysteries of the Kingdom for me. 

Let's look at these verses a little bit more closely. What does it look like to have steadfast love fused with faithfulness? In my heart, it begins to paint a picture of commitment and covenant that far supersedes our flighty emotions but shows us a love that will remain regardless of our circumstances. It shows a love that we can actually trust. For me, love that I can trust is one of the most precious gifts I can receive - so a pretty big deal. 

Continuing on the psalmist writes, "righteousness and peace will kiss each other." Pause, and let you imagination wrap your mind around this picture. Kissing is very intimate action to incorporate here as the two words our intertwined with each other. So how/why are the concepts of righteousness and peace knit together?

The idea of righteousness can be broken down in simple terms as "right" living or holy living; meaning, we live in such a way that considers others first, where our words hold weight and kindness/sincerity mark our interactions with one another. We move towards others with grace, because we hold a deep awareness of God's love for us. It is with this type of "right" living that peace is able to overwhelm our hearts in an intimate way.  Personally, when I am peaceful I feel confident, secure, trusting and easy. I am not second guessing or looking over my shoulder - I am confident that the Lord is for me and with me. So our promise here is we would choose to live "rightly" in this world the gift our Father gives us is peace. 

As we think about what it means to Form our Character, I think we need to reimagine what righteousness is really all about. On the surface, Forming Character looks like we should do a whole list of things that we don't really want to do, but reluctantly do, because - well, we are Christians and all - so we should. This outlook paints the  Christian life as just being filled with drudgery and burdens. If we are stuck with this mindset, you missed the boat.  The fruit of faithfulness is covenantal love and the fruit of righteousness is peace. Both things our souls are desperate for!

My prayer for you as you enter into 2018 is for you to consider how well the ideas of faithfulness, covenantal love, righteousness and peace mark your life. There is a better way of living available to  each of as we embrace the values of the Kingdom

I Am His

The front room window reveals the season’s first snow and a breeze that makes an already cold day even colder. The microwave went out yesterday, a modern convenience my children don’t know how to live without, so I’m warming milk and boxed Chai on the stove top, in a pan. It’s slow and takes time.

 My son has a basketball game tonight, so dinner is in the crock pot. It will be warm and ready for us to eat after the game. I’ll notice it cooking all day and my children will smell it when the garage door goes up, announcing their arrival home from school. Reminds me of my coming home after Sunday church with the delicious aroma of pot roast, potatoes and carrots mysteriously seeping through the walls and doors before stepping foot in the kitchen. Dinner has been slowly cooking for hours and our empty bellies are happy knowing our hunger will be satisfied soon.

And this Advent season is slowing me to an intentional and graceful stop. I’m walking at a pace I don’t recognize, very little is occupying the space in my brain other than what my priorities are for the day, and there are only a handful. That is enough. 

It’s enough because my thoughts are finally and beautifully consumed with The Coming, the first and the last once -and -for -all coming of my King. I’ve had to fight my way to this place of contentment and awareness of who I am and have been created to be; a child of God. 

It’s a fight because all around me scream hundreds of good opportunities to be more, do more, reach for more, aspire to more, submit to more with empty promises that I will be better than I already am. And why have I looked to this in my not too distant past? Is it possible that the past forty years of whispering words of receiving Jesus’ gift, growing up in the shadow of stained glass windows and years of study, I drowned out the Word that says I am his?

 Although Christ’s gift has been claimed, learned and shown countless times to people all over the world, I still need to be reminded, I am His. He came for this woman, wife, mother, writer, baker, children’s taxi driver, reader, walker, coffee drinker, teacher, encourager, discipler – all things I do or qualities I possess.

But the only thing that matters is I am His. I am a child of God.