There are many glimpses we get of the remarkable, ordinary, with-us story of our salvation. I hope that you can visualize in the specific, angel-sent affirmation that what you see with your mind’s eye is absolutely true for you. The sounds as well. Certain Christmas songs and Advent hymns have you choking back sobs of joy and gratitude.

The Bible readings during Advent from Isaiah and Jeremiah do it too. The holy, mystified, prophetic images foretell the too-good-to-be-true promise. Our trudging through the world’s darkness, it’s gloom and doom news, turn us again to the gladsome tidings. The light of Christ is somehow able to penetrate our fear, our seething rage over the idiot driver who just cut us off, our impatience over delays and cancellations. Angels descend with their assurances that we will be okay.

It is at the end of this week, our calendars tell us, that we will behold him, born the king of angels. We will show up with people we “kinda-sorta” remember or that look familiar, coming with all that hopes for Christ to be born in our hearts again, and maybe 2023 won’t be the train wreck that 2020-2022 were. Seeking, we will find that holiness that encourages us, that God has overcome, that will see us through any and all obstacles and setbacks, and leave us feeling JOY!ful and triumphant. New life, new light, wrapped up in the sweetest, unconditional love gift we have ever been given.

Pastor Art