Advent Devotion, 12/2/22
MATTHEW 24:36-44
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.“ 42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
When I was really young, I started creating a Christmas plan for our family. I would tape the carpet to outline where each one of us would sit and write the schedule on our sliding glass door so we’d all know what to expect for Christmas Day. This plan was on the door for at least a week before Christmas began. To give you a taste:
6:00 a.m.: Kayleigh wakes up (believe me, I was up way earlier, I seldom went to sleep the night of Christmas so I was waiting for 6:00 a.m. to hit)
6:01 a.m.: Kayleigh checks to see if Santa came
6:02 a.m.: Kayleigh wakes Hannah up
6:03 a.m.: Kayleigh and Hannah wake up Maddie and Josh
6:04 a.m.: Kayleigh, Hannah, Maddie, and Josh wake up Mom and Dad
6:05-6:07 a.m.: K,H,M & J wait for Mom on the stairs to find her camera and take a picture of us
This is not an exaggeration. I had this planned down to the minute. Any sort of change to the schedule was met with confusion, as I had made the schedule so clear for so long. We did this every year, why was this so confusing?! How did we get off task? Last year was my first year being away from home for Christmas Eve and my brother called me a few days prior asking, “Kayleigh, if you’re gone until Christmas morning, then how will we know the Christmas plan?” He insisted on writing it out and taping out our spots in the living room so we knew where we’d sit for Christmas morning.
Waiting has become a lost art in our world today. We know exactly what is going to happen down to the minute in our lives and any sort of change to the plan causes us to get derailed. It changes how we experience the world. Our passage outlines this need to be flexible. To wait patiently, knowing and trusting that Christ will come again but first? We must be patient. We must continue in our lives as a patient but calm people, counter to the world around us. This passage calls us to continue in our lives, expectant of Christ’s arrival, aware of Christ’s ability to come back at any time, but calm at any sign of change around us.
REFLECT
How will you practice waiting for Christ as Advent is just beginning? What are some practices that you can accumulate through this Advent season that you can do after Christmas as we wait expectantly for Christ’s return? Who can you rely on to help you wait well?
PRAY
Lord Jesus, we wait patiently for you, both to remember your arrival and to honor your return. We trust that you will continue to give us tools to practice waiting for you and thank you for granting us the honor of your presence in the meantime. Amen.
ADVENT PLAYLIST SONG
“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” Jill Phillips, “Lead Me Home”
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