Advent
November 28, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 21:25-36

‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’ –Luke 21:25-28

I suffered for some time a disconnect in thinking since my earliest childhood. I met, felt accepted by, and accepted my friend Jesus very early in life. He taught me that he loved everyone equally and that I was to love everyone equally. He taught that every child of God was unique and was of great worth to God—precious in God’s sight. Also very early in life I heard often about the eventual return of the Messiah when the elect would be taken up to him. I understood that to mean that some were somehow better than others. Did that mean that God loved some less than others or that somehow God would stop loving some, possibly even me, because of what we did or did not do?

I have since come to realize fully that my preschool Jesus was spot on correct, and because of that realization my life has become far more simple. Indeed, my life is richer and fuller as I study and grow in wisdom and in truth, striving to live Jesus’ way of love, and returning again and again to God with confessions of failures, requests for forgiveness, and prayers for guidance in working toward a world ruled by God’s love.

Our scripture today tells us to stop trembling in our shoes in hysteria about the mess we may find on any given day around our world and to stand strong with our faces toward God or as Isaiah 60:1 put it: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Prayer: Lord, we recognize and accept that you have called us not to feel better than others, but to be servants to all sharing your love one relationship at a time until the whole world loves like Jesus loves. Make it so, O God. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.