4. Advent

Oh, that you would rend the
   heavens and come down,
      that the mountains would
                tremble before you! As
                    when fire sets twigs ablaze
                 and causes water to boil,
           come down to make your
    name known to your
enemies and cause the
nations to quake
   before you! 

   Since ancient times no
     one has heard, no ear has
       perceived, no eye has seen
               any God besides you, who
                  acts on behalf of those
                who wait for him. You
         come to the help of those
 who gladly do right,
who remember your ways. But
   we continued to sin
against them,
     you were angry. How then
        can we be saved?

           No one calls on your name
           or strives to lay hold of you

Yet, O Lord, you are
  our Father.
    We are the clay,
          you are the potter; we
              are all the work
       of your hand.  Oh look
  upon us, we pray
for we are all
your people.
               
Excerpts from Isaiah 64   

3. Advent

silence
a moment alone
the day's thoughts
and feelings roll
like a sea tossed
by strange winds
no head no tail
deep yearning
in my being


being
for you, to you
through you, only
desiring to know
it's your voice in
the wind, telling
me to come,
come away
my love

2. Advent

Yesterday was Advent's second Sunday, and the sermon got me thinkin'.

Incarnation was a word that particularly stood out to me as our pastor spoke (from the Latin, incarnare).  The Messiah came--in the flesh, set in history and time, in culture and within a language.  His tangibleness was as real as your hands, your being, are to you at this very moment.

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every 

way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high 

priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins 

of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, 

he is able to help those who are being tempted.  (Heb. 2:17,18)

The believers, those who put their faith in him and carry his name, make the body of Christ today.  We take the form of one body, the incarnation of the Divine for this time and this culture, this age.  Do you know that your sufferings relate to others who are hurting?  Are you real in your loving?

In light of this, our cry for the coming of Christ is also the cry for all of his people to come to the realization of who they are in him--tangible love for an aching world.

Musings from the archives