Advent One: The Need for Realignment

We are nibbling on our Thanksgiving Day leftovers as we walk into the Advent Season.  Many non-Denominational congregations as well as mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics will have special candle lightings, prayers, and scriptures readings to prepare hearts and minds to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (Feast of the Lord’s Nativity).  New calendar Eastern Orthodox have been on this journey to Christmas about a couple of weeks ahead with our Nativity Fast starting on Nov. 15^th.  Old calendarist began today (Nov. 28), but their Christmas is later too.  In a sense, we are all in that spirit of preparation for the great day.  It isn’t my place to complain and gripe about the over commercialization and secularizing of the holidays.  But I’d like to recommend that we all make and use some private time to make a greater effort to realign ourselves with the One we seek to celebrate.

We all have some spiritual areas in our lives where we have fallen short.  Difficulties of the year have taken a toll on the attention we give to our faith.  Employment issues, family matters, our socio-political climate; some things have acted in our souls like termites on untreated wood.  Even worse, it is possible that we simply get complacent about our faith.  Not only do we miss the mark of having a strong walk with Jesus, but it is also easy to just sit on the couch and run to him only when things don’t go our way.  Being content with such a spiritual life doesn’t bring us to fully celebrate the Lord’s birth no matter how many times we replay Linus reciting that part of Luke’s Gospel in a favorite seasonal cartoon.

When canoeing or kayaking, I try to keep the bow in the center as far up the creek as I can see.  In the river, I’m aiming the bow to a distant target.  To stay on course, I align the boat to where I want to go. Sometimes making more forward strokes on one side than the other.  Sometimes using the paddle as a rudder to draw (pull) closer or pry (push away).  The tide, wind direction and speed also factor in how I make my alignments.  If I don’t make the alignments, my trip will (at best) be more difficult and possibly (at worst) unsafe).  The journey with Jesus Christ is similar to a paddling trip.  He is the target we are to focus on.  We have tools to use such as scripture, prayer, and church instruction.  Failure to use these things and do so correctly can cause us much despair in the Christian life, maybe abandon it all together.

Does you church have any guides, special prayers and scriptures for observing Advent?  Get a copy and use it.  If there are special services during the week, attend if possible.  Decorate, go to the mall, shop on line; do whatever you do to “make the season bright.”  Visit friends, relatives, and participate in charitable projects.  But make time for spiritual growth.  Strive for time when you are most alert and attentive.  Even a few minutes during that midnight snack can be devoted to bringing the mind and heart in line with God.  The Lord took on our flesh.  He is worthy of our time.