Advent 2013.
A friend of mine called late last night; his wife was going into labor. Her water had just broke…they were heading to the hospital. His call was a bit more specific than just the ‘good news’ – it was to ask if we could watch his son…to come over and take care of business as they rushed to the hospital to have their brand new baby!
I didn’t answer my phone. It was late, my phone lives on vibrate and at night these days, it lives under my pillow. Again, my phone shows another means of my friend communicating: a text message at 1:51 a.m. – again, at 3:32 a.m.
A cry out? A call for help? But, where was I…?
READ SCRIPTURE
Luke 12:35-40
Am I ready to be watchful? Am I ready to lean in….to listen internally – at the sound of the heartbeat of God?
I wonder, what is it, that God is calling me (you) to? Are we waiting for this baby…to be born that our lives would forever be changed? What reminder….what phone call or text message or ring tone is needed to job my brain? Yours?
Am I thinking of His coming….remembering His deeds; the true stories of His past, present and all-that-will-come-to-be??
For a moment, think of a road sign. This sign has an arrow pointing up, ^
The up arrow also has an arrow that shows a right turn…like an exit ramp off the freeway. (something like this one)
^->
This off-ramp sign is a an exit strategy. It’s His offer to you…to me. He comes, it’s Christmas! For all those times when what we are doing is not life-giving and we continue on the road…we continue to pursue what we think we want, we further a relationship, we push a little harder, we stay the course of what does not bring us true satisfaction…yet if we take a minute to look back, perhaps we can recall a time when He has provided a means of escape: freedom. He provides an off-ramp; we have passed by many exits…yet we kept our foot on the gas…and kept driving, kept pushing, maybe you wanted to leave that scenario but didn’t feel you could…maybe you can recall when you knew what was happening was not good, was not healthy, yet you ran yourself through the ringer anyways?
READ SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13
This IS His offer…an off-ramp from ourselves, our permanent condition – Jesus became a baby to offer me life! Life in Him.
What is He calling me (you) to? Am I thinking of His coming…of His deeds and all His true stories? Am I considering all that ever was…all that ever will and is to come? Perhaps I am not….but maybe I am wondering what all this has to do with me. Mostly, yes, about me.
Christmas…happened for “me”. (fill in your name)
As you hang the garland and tape the bows…may your decorations be like a robe of the Christmas Glory we remember and celebrate – may we ask God to enrich not only our hearts & lives but our homes as well.
Let us remember. Let us watch…let us prepare.
Prayer and response. A time to journal your thoughts to God…
Blessings of Christmas,
-ao
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