People of Hope,
During mid-week Advent worship, we are reading the Advent stories of Mary and Joseph. The coming of Jesus was not an historical nor a merely theological event for them. Mary’s pregnancy, with its accompanying dreams and visions, was real and gritty and raw. I imagine it was hard, hard to understand what God was doing, hard to take in an angel visiting them, hard to accept God’s call with its devastating social consequences. For us, Mary and Joseph are models and rock stars of discernment! In a situation where they could have just brushed God off, they listened–intently. They accepted something that didn’t make sense. Instead of trying to control the trajectory of their lives, they allowed God to work in them and to lead them down a new path.
Why is God always calling us to do things that don’t seem to make sense? Ha! Perhaps because God’s ways are not our ways. Thank goodness! We are better for it.
As we sink into this Advent season of anticipation, it mirrors, perhaps, our feelings about the interim process. We are invited by God to listen intently, to accept what maybe doesn’t make sense, to let go of our need to control this process. God’s ways are not our ways, but God will lead us down the path we need.
Thank you for letting me walk with you.
With anticipation of all that God will do,
Pastor Sarah