Advent
December 10, 2020
Scripture Reading:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Testing everything comes naturally to me. Fact-checking has become a thriving business where fact-checkers check other fact-checkers. Then we must deal with what is taken out of context.
I hang up on rejoicing always. A wise, experienced legislator told me many years ago that it took at least ten years to make a significant change in our governance. I took that to be hyperbole, but my experience now recognizes its truth. I began working at a very junior level on solving the USA’s health care crisis in 1975 and am still working on it today. Along the way, occasions did arise when some progress demanded rejoicing, but more time was spent in lamentation. I have learned to rejoice in lamentation. Taking some time with God to lament what is perceived as a failure, gives an outlet to let go of despair and press on to the targeted change. The Psalmists illustrate this well. The collators of the Bible even recognized the importance of including a whole book of Laminations. Paul, the author of Thessalonians, practiced what he preached. Lamenting loss and letting it go leaves our lives open to the guidance of the Spirit and frees us from self-righteousness that can swell into soul damaging bitterness.
Prayer: God of Grace, free us from self-defeat and help us rejoice in your carrying us through troubles. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.