e-vo for week of December 5

Dearest e-votees-

Advent is a time of gathering and waiting trusting that God will make good on the promises God has made.

Our appointed lesson from the New Testament this week, Philippians 1:3-11, is a powerful reminder of how we can gather as community, partner in the gospel, trust in the Lord and patiently wait until the day of Jesus Christ.

Peace,
Karl

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3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:3-11, NRSV

There are really two strands of Advent.

We wait for God to bring Jesus into the world in the manger in our liturgical cycle. The essence of the gospel is that God comes into the world to restore a broken relationship with creation and to bring salvation. God longs for us with compassion. God does whatever is required. God comes into the world as a frail and susceptible mortal. This is a profound saving move of God. It is so important that commemorate this time-splitting event every year. In order to best commemorate it we slow down and take time to recall the promises that are coming into being in Jesus. This is a deep and important strand of Advent.

We wait, too, for Jesus to usher in the end of all times. The essence of the gospel is that God who began this good work of salvation will bring it to completion. It is God who does the work—not us—which is how we can rest secure. God longs for us with compassion. God continues to do whatever is required. God is coming back into the world to save us frail and susceptible mortals. This is the most profound saving move of God. It is so important that we ritually wait for this time ending event every year. In order to fully appreciate this coming fulfillment we slow down and take time to recall the promises that will be fulfilled in Jesus. This, too, is a deep and important strand of Advent.

We wait collectively. We partner in the gospel. We gather and pray and sing and trust. We know that God began this good work in creation. We know that God began this good work of salvation in Jesus Christ and the incarnation. We know that God will bring this work to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. This is God’s plan. This is our hope. Thanks be to God.


God shape us as we wait. Help us receive Jesus in the manger again and prepare to be received by Jesus at the end of all time. Help us be thankful and faithful in the meantime. Amen.