Pastor's Weekly Word

This is what the prophet has written, “But you, Bethlehem, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. (Matthew 2:6)

Advent is a season for getting ready. It is a time to prepare for what is next, not for what is next from us, but for what is next from God. In this season of preparation, we will be reflecting on the mystery of the whole of the Christmas story. We are going to be walking through the wonder of Christmas.

I have found that when we experience something deeply mysterious or breathtaking in life, we often remember certain objects or moments that stand out as odd. We use physical things to point beyond the moment to the mystery itself. In the birth story of the Messiah, the gospel writers lift up a number of things from the experience. We will focus on four of them: a star, a name, a manger, and a promise. Ordinarily these things would have no particular meaning, but when tied to the story of God becoming flesh, they become powerful markers of a miraculous moment in time.

Beginning this Sunday, let’s dust off our hearts and enter the season with a sense of wonder and surprise. Perhaps more than ever, in a world that feels torn completely in two, now is the time to open ourselves up to the promise God gives birth to in us as the star points the way to the one born in a manger who is given the name above all names, the name of Jesus.