Advent 3: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Wonderful rendition by the US Air Force of Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring giving Joy to the World at the Smithsonian.

Advent 2 - Steadfast: fixed in direction, unwavering, faith

Steadfast: adjective

1. fixed in direction; steadily directed
2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc.
3. unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence
4. firmly established
5. firmly fixed in place or position

This is the word that jumped out at me from Sunday's lectionary readings. Paul wrote to the Romans "... whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." Hope in ... hope for ... what?

What is to come!

Or, perhaps, I should say
Who is to come
and What he will bring with him.

The Genealogy of Jesus, The Saint John's Bible

This is the genealogy of Jesus from The Saint John's Bible. It reminded me of the Jesse Tree image in Isaiah 11 ... "there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." The people of Israel steadfastly waited and watched  for this "shoot" for 700 years. And, for those Jews who have not believed Jesus is that shoot, the Messiah, they have been waiting and watching for 2,700 years! Steadfast: fixed in a direction; firm in purpose, resolution, faith.

Think of all the Jews have endured over the ages. How many times has another nation wanted and tried to wipe them off the face of the earth? What kind of effort and energy have they needed to put forth to keep their identity as the people of God ... though they are dispersed around the world? How have they worked at keeping their faith central to Israel although their nation (only since 1948! and they had to fight for that!) is occupied by many nationalities and their place of worship is "owned" by an enemy? How have they endured? Steadfast: steadily directed, unwavering, firmly fixed in place or position. With steadfast purpose they take encouragement from the promises of God written in His Word in former days ... and they hope for their Messiah.

We face many things in these present days. As Christians there are many who would be glad to have us gone and not be reminded of Jesus the coming One. We are dispersed among the nations of the world, which at times makes our differences more evident than the One that brings us together. And, we have no central place of worship ... other than our church buildings ... and even then they can be occupied by those who do not believe. But, we know our Messiah, our Savior ... Jesus. No matter what we may endure, in Him we stand by steadfastness and by the encouragement of His Word that he is coming ... again.

It is His promise.

And, in that we wait and watch and have hope!

Put on the armor of light ... part 2

Yesterday morning my sister and I set up the tree and dressed it in lights. Our family tradition is to put a string of lights on the inside of the tree running up and down the trunk, and then, string lights around the outside branches. When we were finished we had sap all over our arms and hands and little scratches from the needles. But, it was worth it. The tree looks fantastic. (Have no fear, my sister adjusted the outer string of lights to fill that darkness at the bottom of the tree!)

While we were stringing the lights, my mind was working on "putting on the armor of light". What exactly does that mean? How do we do that? Well, it's like stringing the lights on the tree ... it needs to be put on the inside and on the outside. It needs to be a habit of the heart and lived out in the habit of daily life.

Putting the armor of light on the inside of our life means to take God's Word and "read, mark, and inwardly digest it". Today, we call this studying God's Word, but this is what Scripture means when it talks about meditating on God's Word. We read a passage of Scripture. We mark or highlight those thoughts or ideas that jump out at us. Then, we think about it, cross-reference it with other Scriptures, read commentaries about it, and consider what it looks like in real life. Finally, we think about how we can practice that "armor of light" in our own lives.

For instance, lately I've been reading quite a bit about God being my refuge. That has been the main theme jumping out at me from the Psalms appointed for each day. Not only have I underlined these passages, I have written them out in my journal. And, I have looked at other passages and stories about how God is our refuge (Lilias Trotter!). But, those are all words ... lip service to knowing that God is my refuge. Then, I have to practice it. When things appear to be bleak or without hope, I refuse to fall to the temptation that God is not at work. Instead, I remember ... God is my refuge. He is my hope and at work on my behalf. And, I pray that He strengthen this in my heart and mind. This is putting on the armor of light in me.

Putting on the armor of light on the outside of life means to practice it. It means giving testimony to how God does that for me so that others may see it and know it for themselves. This blog is one way I am practicing "God is my refuge" as an outward armor of light. I am telling others, you dear reader!, that looking to God in all circumstances, believing in His protection and care and keeping of us is real and tangible. Just this morning I looked to God in prayer for encouragement, and I said to Him out loud that I needed to hear from Him in a very tangible way that He was taking care of me, of my future. And, one hour later I received an unexpected package from UPS sitting inside the door. It was an invitation to apply for a position. Whether or not this comes to pass ... God let me know that He is my refuge. This has happened more than once over the year and each time God has shown me the present of His Presence with me in the present!

Finally, putting on the armor of light is not just what I do ... we do ... it is Christ within us. It is by the power of His Holy Spirit that we ... He and I, He and you ... string His Light on the inside trunk of our lives and on our outer branches. So let His Light shine.

Put on the armor of light

This afternoon we put on our coats and scarves and gloves and then, drove to a tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree. The afternoon air hovered around the high 30's promising a perfect day for the adventure. It took us a little while to find just the right one, which meant by the time we paid for it and got it tied down to the car we were driving home in the swiftly growing dusk and swiftly dropping temperature. We talked about how fast it was growing dark these days and then, just as fast, we began talking about dinner. My sister looked at the clock and declared, "It's only 4:30!" The chilliness, the effort, the tree, the darkness, the hunger, the time ... all reminded me of this new season of Advent.

From this moment on, our days will shrink shorter and shorter, the darkness creep in earlier and earlier. It's a reminder that before Christ came into the world, we lived in darkness, in our sinfulness.
From this moment on, our days (especially in the north!) it will grow chillier and chillier ... a reminder that without the warmth of Christ's Presence there is little comfort or hope.
From this moment on, our days of darkness and chill are a reminder of the effort we must put forth to keep watch for Christ's coming, that we must put on hope, put on faith, put on love.
From this moment on, our days will require us to eat a bit more to stay warm and stay healthy. It's a reminder that we need to eat more of the Word of God and be strengthened by His promises.

And, then, I remembered a portion of Sunday's Epistle reading:  ... you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light ... put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13.11-12)

These days of Advent remind us to put on the armor of Light, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is come! His Presence is with us ... now. And, these days of Advent ... the chilliness, the effort, the tree, the darkness, the hunger ... remind us that it's time ... it's time to remember that He is coming again! So, bundle up! Put on faith in Christ. Put on hope in His coming. Put on His love for you and let it spill over to others.

And, the tree ... the only reminder I haven't mentioned yet ... the Christmas tree reminds us of growing in Him, ever green, ever lasting with Him. And, all those lights twinkling out from its branches remind us of His Light within us shining out into the world to bless, to show others that Jesus is come and is coming again. And, the joy of ornaments and garland ... reminders of how He dresses us in His grace and mercy, how beautifully He has made us. And, the gifts ... God's gift to us in Jesus Christ ... the Savior ... and His Holy Spirit, and the gifts He gives us to give to others.

Wow. All that from cutting down our Christmas tree.

PS - I already received a Christmas gift. God gave me part-time work at Stray Cat Studios and Store. Beside the bit of income it brings, I may be able to get my hands into some clay! Now, that is joy!