Apocalyptic Imagery - December 13
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44; Zech. 1:7-17; Rev. 3:7-13; Matt. 24:15-31
I’ve been up for a good hour now, trying to will something out of our readings. I’ve deleted two paragraphs and had a few other ideas swirling in my head, but nothing seems to come to fruition. To no avail, today’s reflection will be shorter than most. Sometimes, I just can’t power through it all, which oddly becomes its own inflection point.
The readings are bizarre, specifically Matthew 24:29-31.
‘Immediately after the suffering of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
In one of Fleming Rutledge’s reflections on Advent she writes, “one foundational truth that I have learned from apocalyptic theology, it is this: God is the subject of the verb. God doesn’t need us to help him make his “dream” come true; God is on the march far ahead of us, bringing his purposes to pass.”
As I struggle to make words this morning, one of the hopes of this Advent vision is that God is at work and not you and me. I don’t need to figure out, come up with some shiny new angle, or offer something new to say. God is already making it happen. And there is nothing we can do about it. That’s a good thing that God’s vision isn’t dependent on you and me.
Maybe Thursday will come a little easier, but it makes no difference to God.
John+
Questions for Reflection: What you have struggled to accomplish lately? How does this shape your understanding of God?
Daily Challenge: Read all of the Scriptures today. That should be a task or challenge that is enough!