Devotional 12-12-10

From Matthew 11:2-11

"Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"

It is the question that reveals of crisis of faith for John the Baptist. Israel seemed to John to still be in such terrible religious and political turmoil. Jesus was the Messiah. He was the one John expected to reform the temple and cast out the Romans. Jesus was supposed to be change John could believe in! But so terrible was John’s anguish over the ongoing condition of God’s chosen people, his Holy Land, that he had to ask the question…”Am I waiting for someone else?” Or perhaps his question to Jesus really was “What are you waiting for?”

It is a question I have pondered more than once. In light of so much depravity and suffering in the world, so much hypocrisy and hatred, I proclaim that Chris has died, Christ is risen, and that Christ will come again (sing it with me!). Yet I too wonder at times “Lord, what are you waiting for?”

When faced with John’s question, Jesus pointed to his teaching, his healings, his tenderness to the outcasts, and the resurrections he performed. He was saying to John, “Cousin, it has already begun!” The big picture does look bad sometimes, but Jesus was saying to John, “I’m sketching in some new details.” The tapestry of life that we hope will come out beautiful in the end does sometimes appear too dark and ugly, but Jesus is saying “I’m weaving in some new and beautiful threads and in the end it shall all be well.”

It is easy, especially for the sensitive heart, to be overwhelmed by the many things that seem always to cast down and never to uplift and inspire. The extent of human need is especially felt at this time of year. But there is still beauty in the world, the newborn and the growing child, the tender hug or handshake, the person who takes a stand for someone weaker, the church of God in those brief moments when we live up to the vision God has for us, the glad surprise and the unexpected acts of grace and generosity, and of course always there are the obvious moments of God’s faithful providence. There is beauty and wonder still, the child inside and Spirit of God within both testify to it. Be still and look for it, feel for it, listen for it. Where you discover it, celebrate it. It is not enough for you to work at becoming and making the beauty. You must also see the beauty and wonder of the world where it already is, lest you feel that you labor alone or in vain

Beauty and wonder are all around, yea the Kingdom is come! It has already begun! And in the spirit of this advent season, we watch…and we wait…come quickly Lord Jesus.

Joe Hill