"Tidings of comfort and joy." This is what the season promises to bring us - at least for merry gentlemen in need of rest . . . but what about the rest of us? The truth is, that often what we bring instead to the season is anxiety. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that the message speaks with such power today, even as it did then, as a young couple found their lives being turned upside down by events they had never in their wildest moments of imagining ever anticipated.
For Joseph and Mary, the world was in many ways a dangerous and unsettling place. If we sometimes feel the same, we at least know that we are in good company. According to Matthew, so was Mary - which is something we see as we listen thoughtfully to the genealogy that he so carefully traces as he begins his account of the life and ministry of Jesus. As we listen, we discover that Mary was in company with four other women, three of whom also found themselves in dangerous and unexpected circumstances, but through whom God worked in powerful ways to bring about His purpose in the world.
Where are the areas of anxiety, of danger, of unexpectedness or uncertainty in your world as you enter this season? How might God be at work in the midst of the circumstances in which we find ourselves? Where are others that we are aware of, or could be more aware of, experiencing these same things? How might we be bearers of messages of comfort and joy to them this season? All questions worth contemplating as we enter this season together!
To listen to Pastor Chris' sermon Anxious Advent, click here.
Celebration of Advent
While some might focus on the pagan origins of many of the symbols and customs that surround the Christmas season, it is sometimes easy to miss the rich heritage that Christians down through the years have brought to the celebration of Christ's birth, and the season they have set aside to reflect on this. Because there is no particular reason that non-Christian groups should have a monopoly on, or exclusive rights to, all the rich symbols we find in the world around us, you may find it helpful to reflect on some of the ways Christians have found richness and meaning in the symbols of Advent.
Opportunities to bring Comfort and Joy to Others:
Christmas Giving Opportunities:
The AIDS CRISIS:
And if you are just looking for a whole host of ideas of ways to celebrate the season and make it more meaningful for you and your family, you might want to see if this link gives you any ideas of where or how to start: