From RevGals mini-Advent Retreat today...
For reflection:
You might like to consider where and why you protest about building a highway for God. Which hills need to become valleys...or which mountains are really molehills?
Listen again to the reassurance "Do not fear...Here is your God."
God is speaking into the situation of your greatest anxiety. Where your fear is most deeply seated, there God is already waiting.
I have been staring at the words: "Where your fear is most deeply seated, there God is already waiting."
My fears are wrapped up in my hopes for the future - not so much for today. Funny how that works. To accompany my reflection time, I had Christmas carols playing in the background (that is to say, real Christmas carols - not "Do You Hear What I Hear?" or other such pablum!) These words were sung as I was tussling over this...
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
Abiding...
Deb
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5 comments:
Such a wonderful word, "Abide"...it carries more weight and permanence than merely "staying", somehow.
Thank you for engaging with this.
mmm i like the connection to the hymn there Deb... sometimes we simply overlook the most obvious things... such as God IS with us! i do believe those are terrific ruminations on your part for a christmas message...
Thanks for your words and your reminder. I'm working on this basic that I can say with my mouth, but need to learn and re-learn all the time to believe and trust. God IS with us.
Blessings
I know there's more going on here, but hey! I LIKE Do You Hear What I Hear :)
(Uh oh - word verification is "dopient" - hope that doesnt describe this comment.)
I like it, too, but I love, love, love "O Little Town of Bethlehem," each verse more than the last. It's visceral for me, somehow, so immediate.
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