Re-Experiencing the Waiting and the Wonder - November 30

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 5, 6; PM Psalm 10, 11; Amos 3:1-11; 2 Pet. 1:12-21; Matt. 21:12-22

Today’s Reflection

Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory … And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. –2 Peter 1: 12-13, 15

What are “these things” that Peter wants to make sure that people will remember, even though they already know them? Looking back at the 2 Peter passage from yesterday, “these things” are “everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” But holding fast to “these things,” Peter tells us that we may “escape from the corruption that is in the world” and thereby “may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”

Peter knows that soon he and the others who had walked with Jesus and heard his words would soon be gone. And he is concerned that the people who remain, the future generations, will continue to carry the light of Christ with them and hold fast to their faith. Peter knows that it will be challenging when those who were “eyewitnesses to his majesty” have passed away, so he wants to make sure that he has done his due diligence in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. Peter wants his fellow Christ-followers to know that the prophetic message of God’s saving grace and love is not something that they just made up, “we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rather, Peter reassures us that, “We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.”

Beginning with this past Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we have begun again a new church year. With each new year in the church calendar, we cycle through another set of Sunday and weekday readings that allow us to experience anew the story of God’s redemption of his dearly loved children, from Creation and the Garden through the stories of the people of Israel, through to the Incarnation with Jesus’ birth, life, and death, and ultimately his glorious Resurrection.

And so, too, in our liturgical calendar we begin again the re-experiencing of the life of Christ and God’s faithful people as we begin this season of Advent. We know well how the story continues and what everything is leading up to. And yet we have this beautiful tradition in which each year we commit to re-experiencing the wonder of watching and waiting again for the birth of Christ. As we hear in 1 Peter today, “Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you.” We already know these things, we know these stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, of Gabriel appearing to Mary, of Joseph’s dream, of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, of Jesus’ birth in the humblest of places, of the angels proclaiming God’s glory and the shepherds who looked on in wonder.

We know these stories. We hold them in our hearts as we go about our lives of faith the rest of the year. But being reminded of them—reveling in our Advent wreaths and these stories and scriptures and songs like clockwork every year—is what allows us to continue to carry the truth of these stories with us throughout the rest of the year: “So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” –2 Peter 1: 19

—Becky+

Questions for Self-Reflection

What traditions of the Advent season are most dear to you? What songs do you look forward to singing at this time of year? Which story from Scripture that we hear in the weeks leading up to Christmas most fills your heart and mind with wonder and awe about God’s great love for us?

Daily Challenge

Bookmark these Advent devotionals to help you experience each day the wonder and waiting of the Advent season through the beauty of visual art (https://thevcs.org/Advent2021) and poetry (https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/blog/).