The longing of Advent

I love this time of year. I love cold winter weather, holiday parties, snow, time away from work, time with family, the hopes of am NFL playoff berth (though not this year), presents, singing Christmas carols, my mom's homemade toffee & russian tea cakes ... I could go on and on and on.

When I think of December, I think of all those things. But what I love more than all those things combined is the concept of a season of Advent. This word Advent comes from the latin word adventus, meaning "coming." It describes the waiting and expectation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

One of the least appreciated things in our culture today is waiting. We don't have any patience. Whether its the drive-thru, an elevator, a stop light - it's hard to wait. Some long for other things - a child, a spouse, a job - and find that patience is wearing thin.

This Advent, my church has been doing an sermon series called Yearning. God's been using this series in my life in several ways - to call me out on my longings, and to remind me that nothing can fulfill like Christ.

I don't have to live in misery with my sin. Transformation is possible through Christ. This is such good news! Yet, I'm still left longing. While I can know Christ on this earth, and experience the presence of God in my life, I won't be able to find full satisfaction to the depths that I desire on this side of heaven. I am finding an unexpected peace this Advent, in knowing that I will probably always be longing something more on this earth - but this longing will be fulfilled, and this transformation I desire will be complete the day I see Jesus face to face.

<< And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. >> philippians 1.6

Unlikely Friends

I just finished a great book, Same Kind of Different As Me. The short novel (a true story) links the lives of two people who could not be more different; one is a wealthy art dealer (Ron), one is an uneducated homeless man (Denver). They meet unexpectedly, and neither likes each other, at first.

Ron begins to befriend Denver. About halfway through the book, Denver questions his motives with a very interesting analogy:

"I heard that when white folks go fishing, they do something called 'catch and release.' That really bothers me...when colored folks go fishing, we really proud of what we catch and we take it and show it off to everybody that'll look. Then we eat what we catch...we use it to sustain us. So, it really bothers me that white folks would go to all that trouble to catch a fish, then when they done caught it, just throw it back in the water."

He finishes his monologue with a challenge: "If you is fishin for a friend you just gon catch and release, then I ain't got no desire to be your friend."

Denver isn't afraid to tell it like it is. He doesn't want to be some project that Ron works on to completion and then forgets. He is skeptical that Ron's in it for the long haul, and I can't say that I blame him. Denver doesn't need Ron to give him money or new clothes or any material possessions. He doesn't need Ron to tell him how to live his life. Denver wants someone to love and trust him, a true friend.

Writing that makes this book sound sappy; but this story will give you a real glimpse into how redemption is possible in a broken world.