Advent
November 28, 2021
Scripture Reading:
Luke 21:25-36
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’ –Luke 21:34-36
God created a well-planned interdependent world where the gold standard for wellbeing is shalom— peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility. Searching for a life outside of shalom is the road to destruction. Yet, that is precisely what many in our world are hellbent to do. Our failure to care enough for each other to be vaccinated quickly for COVID resulted in a more potent variant called Delta. Another variant, perhaps worse than Delta, called Omicron, has recently appeared in South Africa and maybe the worst one yet. Third-world countries have had the least opportunity to take preventative measures. The variants spread rapidly, and this latest one will be in our nations soon. People across the world are angry. They are tired of socially distancing, wearing masks, and getting shots. They want their pre-COVID lives back.
Jesus meant it when he said loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves* are the two most important commandments. He also increased our neighborhood to include the whole world**. We hold our future in our hands. We can follow the way of Jesus working to restore wholeness across all lands while growing in love for the vast diversity God gifted to us in varied cultures, or we can follow the path of destruction.
Prayer: Lord, the divine admonition to “Fear not” is recorded in the Bible 365 times; help us remember it each morning as we face a new day and grant us the strength to strive for shalom without fear. Amen.
*Matthew 22: 35-40
**Matthew 28:18-20
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.