Advent Prayer

 

O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.

 

God, You enter our lives in the most baffling and bewildering (counter cultural) ways.  You come into our lives through the back door of a dusty, dirty barn!?  You come into our souls, even when we have not bothered to clean up the clutter, clear away the cobwebs in the corner.  You set Yourself down in our homes where the dirty dishes are stacked in the sink, the cupboards are bare, expect for some expired Cheez-Whiz~ so what can we serve You?  You sit amid the unfolded laundry, which is to say (metaphorically) our messy, human-size, lives.  So we race around thinking we will just tidy up a bit, shoving all the stuff of life (which is to say the unpredictability and uncontrollability) into the closets and praying the door closes!  We race around thinking that if we get Christmas “right” maybe this will be the year Your realm won’t feel so far away.  We race around because we all have our own salvation projects for our lives.  Sure, we know, only God can save us, but that is really for “other” people, not us.  Not me, who has my theology tidy, my beliefs alphabetized, my enlightenment power point ready to show anyone who asks ~ even though no one does!  Help me God.  Hope can feel fragile in this world.  Which, honestly, has always been true, especially on the first silent, holy night when You snuck into the world.  Hope can feel foolish right now, which was true with Caesar pounding his fist and laughing at the minions of the world.  Hope can feel distant, which was true for people running around for a census!  Help us amid all the “gospels” that promise fame and fortune, but never deliver, just keep on demanding more.  Help us amid the leaders who all promise their help but forget once in power.  Help us amid a world that is broken, bruised, busy and addicted to hurt, that You have not forgotten us, O God.  Come, O come, Emmanuel, enter every trembling heart today and every day this month.  Amen.