Peace Part 1

 

Last week we set out (once again) for Bethlehem, to trudge the familiar roads that lead to a draft, dirty, dingy stable where God makes a grand and glorious entrance that is so counter- cultural…so subversive to the gospels we consume of wealth and winning and being warriors for causes.  A scant nine days into the journey, sixteen days left until we arrive, it is that point when our inner-five-year-old from the back seat of our souls asks, “Are we there yet?”  We live in a culture that constantly craves bigger, faster ~ we want to microwave everything, and we disdain patience as being weak.  Hasn’t God built an interstate highway to Bethlehem yet?  Where is the highspeed rail that will get us there quicker so we can grab a selfie next to the baby Jesus, post to Instagram, and book an Air B&B where we can sip eggnog with the hashtag, “Blessed”?  The pace of Advent is annoyingly slow.  The word associated with Advent, “waiting” sends frustration down our spin and starts pulsing in that tiny vein in your neck.

 

What are you waiting for?

 

I love that question, because the emphasis can be on each of the five words.  What, can send us on a journey of inquiring about our deepest desires.  We have many Christmas lists in our souls, most of which have nothing to do with what you can purchase prepackaged on the shelves of stores.  What do you long for spiritually, relationally, emotionally, physically, communally, in our country, for our church, in the world?  You could make a list for each of the areas which might help you start to explore the first word of the above question points toward.  Are, is a word that reminds us of our agency.  Waiting is not passive.  Waiting is not standing on the sidelines impatiently tapping your toe while you scroll your phone and let out loud sighs.  Are is about your agency.  Or as Viktor Frankl says, “Between stimulus and response there is space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Are is the pregnant pause of the present moment ~ opening you to how you show up, speak up, part-take in this journey to Bethlehem this year.  You points to the fact that there is something growing in you.  You, like Mary, are pregnant with possibility.  You are making this journey to the stable.  To be sure, we are never alone.  There are parts of the journey this year that are universal and unique.  What is stirring in you?  Waiting and for play together and help wrap up and wind down the question that guides us to the One who comes in the form a vulnerable baby (see Morning Meditations from the week of November 25). 

 

What if one of the reasons why we don’t like to wait is that it exposes all our vulnerabilities and inadequacies and inabilities and uncontrollability of life?  Waiting exposes that we both have some control in certain circumstances and at the same time can’t instantly make everything better.

 

Hold this question, explore this question, turn in the light of God’s love to let it reflect to you a rainbow of expressions.  May God show up as you, like Mary, prayerfully ponder this today. Amen.