Don’t we all need a word from God? Friends, life can be painful and difficult! Surely, in this life we will struggle mentally, physically, and emotionally. And we will see those around us struggling too. We will watch the unjust hurt the most vulnerable and take advantage of the weak. What’s more, life demands us to live and act without certainty and despite our suffering and doubt.
What is true for us, was also true for Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary. Zechariah and Elizabeth had long prayed and waited for a child. Mary and Joseph never expected a baby under such unconventional circumstances. All of them faced an uncertain future and needed a word from God. Enter the Angels making their rounds. We aren’t sure if they were beautiful beings with long beautiful hair, eagle wings, and billowy gowns, we know they came to visit these four, and many others in the Christmas story offering blessings, peace, and hope for the future.
While Zechariah was in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared saying “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born.” -Luke 1: 13-14
And for Joseph after learning of Mary’s pregnancy, God appears to him in a dream “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20(b)-21
And Mary herself heard “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you….Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. 33 He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1: 28, 31-33
I find myself connecting with these tidings of comfort and joy and remembering that God comes to us when we least expect it, with a word of peace, of blessing, and of comfort. This very personal effort serves to remind us of what is true and promised; that we have been loved all our lives by a God who will not forget us. And yes, even when we can’t see the way forward, God wills for us to have life abundantly, and with purpose.
I am one of the biggest worriers you will ever meet. I still struggle with getting into a feedback loop of “What ifs” or “How long O Lord?” And yet, I can also testify that for all the times I have been justifiably sore afraid, God has found me and spoken to me. In kind faces, in strangers, in goats and turtles, in trees, in stars, in His word, in music, in my family and friends, and yes, even in my dreams. God has found me with words of comfort and joy in moments and places I have least expected it, and maybe that is by design, to make sure I remember. I am hopeful you have had those words in your own life too!
This Advent, I want to challenge us to remember moments when we have been surprised by tidings of comfort and joy. To listen and pay attention to how God might be offering us moments of peace and joy today. To take is a step even further, how we can participate as “Angels making their rounds”? How can we give a word or encouragement to a stranger, a friend, or even someone who challenges us? I pray each one of us sees and believes in unforgettable ways! I pray that our postures of peace and love help bring God’s kingdom closer. God help us to pay attention and to hear the words you give us, however they come. Help us to participate in making that same peace and spreading that same joy to those we encounter.
This reflection was written by Katie Walden.