- The Nativity, by Lun Lan (China)
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Ps. 37:3-6
It seems we are all getting a bit weary. We are fatigued. Raw. A little tattered from constantly adjusting our sails to weather the storms 2020 has brought. As my dear friend, the Rev. Amy Bunce said the other day on Facebook, “This is the Adventiest Advent we have ever Advented.” Waiting is hard. As for myself, lately I have noticed a sharp tone creep into my voice more often than I would like. My frustration steadily rises with each unmasked shopper I encounter in the stores or group I see ignoring restrictions. My mental list of frustrations seems to get longer and longer each day. As I have become aware of this cloud over my head, I realize I need to change my perspective. I don’t like this version of myself one bit! So, for the past month, I have been sending up the same plea during my daily prayers. “Lord, please give me patience. Help me to be kind and gracious toward others who are struggling right now too. Help me to reflect the joy and peace you bring. Help me to love first, Lord!” I am convinced my assigned reading for this Advent reflection was my answer to that prayer!
Psalm 37 is help for those who are
struggling in a season of waiting. It
explains how we need to wait well.
The Psalmist tells us that as we wait, we need to keep our focus on Him,
help those around us and Trust that He will provide all we need. Because we are His, we are righteous and can have
faith He will always do something beautiful.
This poem by Walter Brueggemann
speaks beautifully to waiting. It is published in his book Awed to Heaven,Rooted to Earth.
In our secret yearnings
we wait for your coming,
and in our grinding despair
we doubt that you will.
And in this privileged place
we are surrounded by witnesses who yearn more than do we
and by those who despair more deeply than do we.
Look upon your church and its pastors
in this season of hope
which runs so quickly to fatigue
and this season of yearning
which becomes so easily quarrelsome.
Give us the grace and the impatience
to wait for your coming to the bottom of our toes,
to the edge of our finger tips.
We do not want our several worlds to end.
Come in your power
and come in your weakness
in any case and make all things new.
Amen.