Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
Matthew 24:42
This weekend we begin the new church liturgical year with the start of the season of Advent.
Advent is a time meant to watch, to wait, and to prepare:
- We watch to see the miracles that God is already working in our midst.
- We wait with great ancipatoon for the return of Emmanuel – God with us.
- We prepare because we cannot know the time or place of Christ’s return and God does not want us to sit idly by.
In our culture, we are not very good at any of these things. People have been chomping at the bit to begin their decorating for Christmas since fall first began. We also like to see things done quickly, in our own timing, so that we do not have to deal with the anxiety that comes from being in flux.
But the truth is that we are always in a state of constant ambiguity. It is the very nature of life that we will consistently be changing and that everything upon which we have relied might be gone in an instant.
We cannot know what the future holds – and Jesus tells us not to worry quite so much about it. Especially about when history will end.
Instead, we are to get to work for God’s kingdom here and now. To do the tasks accomplished by the grown child of Bethlehem, even as we await his return. To quote one of my favorite musicals, “just to sit still would be a sin.”
There is much to do, and not just in the sense of the holiday season. So let’s get to it.
We look forward to seeing you in church as we actively prepare for the arrival of our coming Savior.
Blessings, Pastor Janie
First Welcoming All 