This is the time of year when I can't believe that we are staring the Third Sunday of Advent in the face. How could it be? The season is going way too fast and I still have way too much to do!
As a child, December just crawled along. It seemed as if Christmas would never arrive.
Now, it rushes along like a freight train and there is no use trying to slow it down. Best to just enjoy the ride and enjoy the wind in my face!
The letter of James also looks toward the coming of the Lord.
He is speaking more of the Parousia or Second Coming of Christ rather than the observance of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. This is sometimes called the Second Advent which is fitting since both have to do with waiting.
 |
| Sometimes we put more preparation into the gifts we give than into our relationships with those we love. |
If we apply this scripture to our own waiting for Christmas, the theme seems to fit. I especially like when James reminds us not to grumble against one another. Sometimes when I'm stressed, this is what I do best!
When we have anxiety in our lives, we may not have permission to take it out on the source. If it comes from our boss or our teacher or someone with authority over us, it may not be appropriate to grumble directly at them. So our grumbling may come out against others we know. Unfortunately, our family members often get the brunt of our anxiety.
Pastors sometimes experience this during funerals or funeral preparation. People outside the church that are involved with a loved one's passing may be feeling anger at their loss. Sometimes this anger is directed at God (often subconsciously so) and the pastor makes for a good stand-in.
Being aware of this and ready to receive it without responding in anger is important.
There are other times when I receive the brunt of someone's anger over something and I may not respond with the same grace. It could be that this may come more from left field and I'm caught off guard. Many times when we are attacked, we defend ourselves by biting back rather than taking the time to analyze where this might be coming from. As we encounter relatives over the holidays, this is a sometimes common occurrence in larger families.
What if we patiently asked ourselves from where their stress may be originating?
Sometimes we need to pray for patience. This is not necessarily some random prayer. The way we find our help is to think about those people who try our patience the most. You likely know who they are and could come up with a list without thinking very hard about it!
So in praying for patience, what if you prayed for each of these people on your list? What if you asked God to show you what is stressing them out? What if we tried to understand them better?
It is far easier to grumble about them. We can readily find allies in this cause. After all, we are in the right, are we not?
But does this help us capture the spirit of Christmas? Does it make our holiday bright? Does it increase peace in our world?
As I step on your toes, please know that this topic has already bruised my own!
I hope you'll join us for worship on Sunday as we worship together online for your convenience or in Edmond or Guthrie. I believe that you'll find it helpful to your preparation for Christmas!
In Christ,
Sam
No comments:
Post a Comment