Today’s Readings: Psalm 123; Micah 7:11-20; Luke 21:5-19; Romans 8:18-25; Psalm 132
Today’s words from Romans hit particularly close to home for two reasons. The first reason might be obvious for some - for during this season of Advent leading up to Christmas, we Christians are particularly tuned in to the notion of waiting for something better. That part is pretty straightforward. The second reason the readings from Romans hit home is probably much less obvious. You see someone who I’ve been in ministry with for over the past year entered into hospice care last Monday evening. Consequently, I’ve been at the hospice nearly every day this week. As I sit with his loving family during this time of transition, I couldn’t help but think of today’s words from Romans: “All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs,” Paul wrote. “But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting” (Romans 8:22-24 from The Message). During this season of Advent, Paul’s words remind me that things aren’t always the way they appear at first glance. Things that we label as hardships or losses are often agents of transformation and new life. We tend to forget just how fraught the Christmas story was with hardships at every turn (i.e. Mary & Joseph’s displacement due to the census, the arduous journey to Bethlehem, the inability to find safe and sanitary lodging, and the birth in a stable). If you are experiencing difficulties this holiday season, remember Paul’s words to us from Romans that invite us to think about the pain as birth pangs. Take some measure of peace in knowing those birth pangs may ultimately “enlarge” you in ways you never imagined if you let them. Til next time…
Today’s words from Romans hit particularly close to home for two reasons. The first reason might be obvious for some - for during this season of Advent leading up to Christmas, we Christians are particularly tuned in to the notion of waiting for something better. That part is pretty straightforward. The second reason the readings from Romans hit home is probably much less obvious. You see someone who I’ve been in ministry with for over the past year entered into hospice care last Monday evening. Consequently, I’ve been at the hospice nearly every day this week. As I sit with his loving family during this time of transition, I couldn’t help but think of today’s words from Romans: “All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs,” Paul wrote. “But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting” (Romans 8:22-24 from The Message). During this season of Advent, Paul’s words remind me that things aren’t always the way they appear at first glance. Things that we label as hardships or losses are often agents of transformation and new life. We tend to forget just how fraught the Christmas story was with hardships at every turn (i.e. Mary & Joseph’s displacement due to the census, the arduous journey to Bethlehem, the inability to find safe and sanitary lodging, and the birth in a stable). If you are experiencing difficulties this holiday season, remember Paul’s words to us from Romans that invite us to think about the pain as birth pangs. Take some measure of peace in knowing those birth pangs may ultimately “enlarge” you in ways you never imagined if you let them. Til next time…
No comments:
Post a Comment