Third Sunday of Advent
Love
Matthew 11: 2-3.2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
“Between Thanksgiving (Canadian
October 14th, 2013) and Christmas there are too many choices,
too many things that you could possibly do” Laverty (2013)
in the preparation of perfect Christmas experience.
We are bombarded with images, stories, movies and our own
desire to achieve that perfect Christmas moment. We search for the perfect mix:
- of family,
- gift giving and receiving,
- decorated home,
- carol singing,
- pageantry,
- parties and
- food.
Once Christmas is over many of us will have a few more
Christmas pictures, more things to store and look at, extra weight from over
eating, less income because of the Christmas bills, a sense of emptiness and
letdown because the Christmas of 2013 did not achieve what we were looking for.
What am I looking for this Christmas? I am seeking to find a glimpse into that
first Christmas Eve. Like John the
Baptist I am seeking the birth of my Saviour, the knowledge that all that I
have believed in is true. Unlike John the
Baptist who waited within the dank, squalled conditions of a jail, in fear of
his life. I wait in the safety and
comfort of my home, surrounded by Christmas tree, and family.
On this the third Sunday of Advent I am again surprised by a
simple truth. Jesus was not born in a
moment that had been wondrously prepared by human hands: the opposite is true. Jesus was born in a stable cave in a manager
of straw amongst animals and animal refuse.
To parents who had not or could not prepare for a room for the
night.
And yet his birth had been foreseen and expected from the
beginning of human history. There had
been preparation miraculous preparation over centuries and the pageantry was
heavenly.
I have yet to find my Saviour and Creator in the moments
that I manufacture to do so. I
experienced Gods love today when Rylee climbed in my lap during the sermon and
said “I love you Grandma”. I knew my God
to be alive and working in my life when Emma called to ask if her cousin could
come to church with us today. The song “I
Sought the Lord” captures my moment of spiritual clarity today in the world -
“I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew, he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me; it was not I that found, O Savior true; no, I was found of thee.” Anonymous, ca. 1878
Juanita ended her message today with a quoted Leonard Cohen's Anthem
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in
In our human preparations for this Christmas are we leaving
room for us to receive the gift that God has given us in the birth of his son?
Grandma Snyder
Laverty, J. (2013, December
15). Seeking and Affirmation. Hanover , Ontario: Hanover Mennonite Church.
©2013 Twosnydergirls
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