Watching and Waiting
“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”
Offering an intriguing reflection on this Advent passage, Rev. Ron Parker has written:
“Who us? No, not possible. We are not known, have no influence,
lack the political connections. We are just a little clan, with limited
resources, just struggling to survive. Certainly such a birth could not
happen here. Or could it? Could we draw on the deep resources of
ancient days, enter boldly into present times, act faithfully on
promises of a future that few believe? Could we, acting in consort
with other ordinary folk, become the womb of some new incarnation?”
Advent is a time of waiting and watching, of looking forward. But for what? Perhaps, for renewal, transformation, new life (birth), and peace. And yet, we have hoped for these things for so long. Advents have come and gone and so many of our hopes have slipped away. It seems unlikely that such a birth could happen here.
Or could it? During advent, we are not waiting for a Messiah to deliver us from our humanity. And so, this Sunday, we will explore the theme: “A Transforming Word” because we wait for him who joins us in our humanity, embracing our humanity, our very lives - with all our joys and sorrows. We shift our life’s focus toward the One who invites us to be part of the promise – in the mysterious process “As the Word Turns”.
This Christmas season, let’s decorate our homes, enjoy the warmth and cheer of the season’s sights, sounds, and smells. But let’s also remember that people are more important than things. Incarnation, Emmanuel (which means God with us), community, and love are the meaning of this Christmas season - and all of life.
“And the Word became flesh
and lived among us…full of grace
and truth.”
- John 1:14
So…what’s the good word? You know…and so do I. Let’s share it, live it and celebrate it!
In Christ’s love,
Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister
This piece originally appeared in The Wave on December 14, 2022.