Advent III: The final night

And now for the final installment of my advent musings.

I know I've missed a week and for anyone who actually reads and was disappointed I apologize. To be honest I've been very bad at my advent plans. I was absolutly dreadful at keeping my advent reading schedule, both in scripture and in devotionals, but I did continue the advent fasting and tried to focus my volitional 'christmas' music listening to only those songs that were adventy. Despite some consitency my advent planning and thinking came to a great hypocritical head today - I skipped church. Not only did I skip church, but I skipped it to attend a Buffalo Bills game.

No chastizement is necessary. Although I greatly looked forward to spending time with a good friend at the game (who obtained freakin sweet free tickets) I was almost sick to my stomach the whole day before (and of) the game at the thought of missing church on the last Sunday of Advent - especially when it falls on Christmas Eve. Despite my thoughts to the contrary I went to the game because I thought it would be wrong to bail on a close friend but I'm glad I went. Not only did I have a great time at the game but missing church gave me even greater zeal to attend our church's Christmas Eve service.

The way our church structures the Christmas Eve service is fairly unique (though individualistic) the sanctuary is dimmly lit and you can come and go as you please between the given times. There is music playing through the system quietly and you are encouraged to come, pray, read scripture, and meditate as a family or individual until you want to stop and then you can come forward to the front and the Pastor will serve you the Eucharist. Maybe it's not too individualistic, maybe I only conceive of it that way because I'm the only one in my family who goes... but alas I digress.

So in this time at the service I was able to finish my advent reading of Lamentations, through which the Lord spoke to me greatly. I don't really know how to recap it except to say that it is worth sitting down and reading in one sitting especially when read through the advent lens of expectation, longing, waiting, and promise of the second coming. God spoke mightily and it really strengthened and uplifted me. After reading Lamentations I spent some time in prayer, yet another thing that I have been dreadful at, and then read through the earliest creeds of the church - those found throughout the NT (in books like: Philipians, Hebrews, Ephesians, etc). I then capped this time off by reading the Nicene Creed and meditating on the incarnation, the Trinity, and the promised second coming in which he will come to judge the quick and the dead. My heart was so blessed. This may be one of the most focused and powerful Advent seasons I've ever had.

As far as what I've been thinking about posting for the last week before today's happening it would simply be: Maran atha. "Our Lord Come!"

I compiled a cd for myself of Advent songs and worship songs that are themed similar to Advent and listening to it just makes my heart cry out 'Come Lord Jesus!'

Other than that I don't really have profound to share. This little Advent experiment has been fantastic. Although I sucked at being disciplined through most of it, the fact that I tried to focus my thoughts even when I wasn't doing the readings helped to put Advent and Christmas in persepective. It was very good.

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Oh, I just rememebred something I was going to post earlier. The other day I was driving and turned on the radio and the first thing I heard on the Christian station up here was a song (albeit intended to be humorous) lamenting the fact that all the signs in the Mall are "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas." I promptly turned the radio off for the rest of the day while driving around delivering flowers and began to think about this. I came to the conclusion and I could be wrong, so feel free to add your two cents, that Christians have no right to lament the loss of Christmas phrasology.

We have no right when we do nothing different than the secular world. If we as Christian choose to ignore the Christian calendar, of which Christmas is a part, then we have no business decrying society. If we are going to ignore advent with which comes fasting, penitence, and prayerful longing, then what context do we have in which to place Christmas? Yes Christmas is a feast day (as are the days following it) but that does not give us the excuse to partake in cosumeristic whoremongering and party like its 1999 (to quote Prince). We are a people not of this world, and we are a people who are called to live and place oursevles in a world that longs for the Bridegroom. If we party the year away with the heathens then how can we have any context to truly and adequately celebrate any of the prescribed feasts of the Church Year. We cannot fully partake in Christmas unless we fully partake in advent. Likewise we cannot fully partake in Easter unless we prepare ourselves with Lent. And while these are man-made suggested and edifying, though not required seasons, how can we really ever fully partake in the second coming of our Lord and Savior if we have not become aquainted with the longing, unfulfillment, and brokeness that comes from being part of a world that is not our own?

I would write more but I have to get ready for the midnight service at the local UMC. I hope to write in the next few days concerning Christmas music and just some general things.

Remember Our Lord is Coming!! Come Lord Jesus!! Amen.

Peace and blessings,

Ben