Advent is a time of
waiting – for the coming of Christ. If
you are like me, waiting can be hard. I
get impatient waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting for a red light to
change to green, waiting in waiting rooms for appointments, waiting for the toast
to pop up, waiting for God to answer certain prayers, waiting for Christ to
come and make all things right.
We are facing
economic challenges not seen decades, diseases that can take the life of
otherwise healthy young persons, climate changes, earthquakes and tsunamis and
typhoons, wars and civil unrest. Some of
our oldest members are passing on to life eternal. The whole creation is
groaning and things seem upside down.
The Shona people of
Zimbabwe have the following name for God: ‘Chipindikure’ which means
‘the One who turns things upside down.’
That title is particularly fitting as we approach Christmas, for with
the incarnation (God becoming human in Jesus), God really did turn things
upside down! Imagine initiating your
plan to redeem all of creation through the agency of a helpless infant, born in
lowly circumstances, and announced to a group of shepherds. While all of Israel waited for the arrival of
a king to fix all the things that were wrong with humanity, God became one of
us and one with us to fix things from the inside out, from the bottom up. Jesus’ birth among the least and his ministry
to the lost turned the whole world upside down.
While you are
waiting this Advent, look for Christ to show up where you lest expect him in
our topsy-turvy world. He still comes to
us in lowly circumstances, through the least and the lost, and works from the
inside out to right the world.
While you are
waiting explore manoavalleychurch.org to see what God is doing in our
midst! Please join us for Advent worship
services Sunday mornings at 10 am. We
are delighted that our youth will be leading us in brief reflections on waiting
and our Advent Candle Lighting Liturgies.
Our Journey to the Son (Children’s Choir) will sing on December 13, and
each Sunday in Advent we will have special presentations by our Nu Oli Singers
(Adult Choir and Quartet). And you won’t
want to miss the Christmas Eve Candle Light worship on December 24 at 7 pm. Come early to get a good seat and stay to
talk story with refreshments following the service.
Pastor Anne
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