Finally, some thoughts on Advent.

I was thinking about Advent the other day, and this is what I thought up. I'm contemplating using these as devotions on Monday for our church council meeting. I'm undecided. We'll just have to see.

You’re an 8 months pregnant teenager. Your pregnancy has not been “normal.” You’re unwed, and yet you know that this baby is not a mistake. You feel as big as a house, but not as sturdy because you’ve been pregnant through heat and cold, work and rest, the public’s accusing eyes and private questions. But this baby is not a mistake. You almost lost the man you planned to marry, but he decided to stick with you. You’ve made it this far, and in less than one month, your new baby will be here. Through all these surprises, you still look forward in eager anticipation to the day you can hold your little one in your arms and look upon the face that holds endless possibilities. As almost all expectant mothers feel, you feel that these past 8 months have been a time of excitement, uncertainty, and promise. I imagine this must be pretty similar to Mary’s situation so many years ago. God had a huge surprise for her one day when he sent an angel to tell her she was going to conceive a baby by the power of the Holy Spirit. This was completely unexpected. Me? Pregnant? Are you serious!? But yes, God was serious when He chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus. And she chose to be obedient to God’s will as she began to show, and as she got bigger and bigger, and as Joseph also chose to be obedient. And through all that, here she sits, 8 months pregnant and waiting. Through her obedience, a special child would be born; a child who would continue his life in the same extraordinary way that his life began. But what exactly would that entail? A questioning, expectant mother wonders, “Will he be successful? Will he be popular? Will I be a good enough mother?” She sat there not knowing the answers. We know how Jesus lived His life because we sit here on the other side of those 8 months. We have read about Jesus and his gifts to the people: sight, life, and redemption. And yet, we sit on this side of the second coming not knowing completely what lies on the other side. We wonder, “What will it be like at the second coming? Will I be a good enough Christian?” We might not think we have the answers, but we can be obedient like Mary was obedient. We can live in faith knowing that God is in control. So we are here in this Advent season, eagerly awaiting the celebration of the coming of our Lord at His birth; trusting and eagerly awaiting the day that He will come again.