Advent - the season of waiting. We've been waiting for our shipping boxes for the whole of Advent. As each Lindt Lindor chocolate ball disappeared from our Sainsbury's Santa advent calender, our boxes endured weather delays, lost paperwork (thanks Virgin!) and an eventually transatlantic flight to experience 3 days in US customs. But at last, today's the day our boxes are to be delivered.
Thing is I can't really remember what's in them! I do know there are mugs and our favourite blanket, but we spent hours debating what to ship and how to pack it and how to weigh and seal the boxes and we've lasted the past month without them. I guess the reality is that there's nothing in there imperative to survival - more about memories and comfort, and expectations of
'need'.
We're all waiting for something - that life-changing opportunity at work; the relationship that will make us whole; for the angst to stop and the joy to move in. Holding on in expectation that tomorrow will be better than today - that our failures, demons, sadness and dislocations will be redeemed, removed, replaced and restored. The time when we move from Advent to Christmas.
Christmas - no longer waiting, the fufilment is here. Emmanuel. God come to earth as flesh to fully embrace our weakness.
That's the magic of Christmas for me - Christ's birth brings us completion of redemption and restoration while at the same time we live continually looking to be redeemed and restored. Advent and Christmas happening together every day of the year.
No comments:
Post a Comment