Stay awake! That was our watchword Thursday night. For only the 2nd time in our lives, Kevin and I became caught up in Black Friday sales. Stay awake! The store opened at midnight, and Kevin planned to be there to buy a flat screen TV. You see when we moved out of seminary housing this summer, we gave away our old TV. We thought—we’ll be so busy with pastoring congregations, we won’t have time for TV. We won’t miss it. But now that we’re settled, we find we do have some time to watch a show or a movie. We do miss the nightly news. So when the TV sale was advertised, Kevin decided he’d stay awake for Black Friday.
He prepared for the purchase—collecting information about the TV. Would it hook up to my computer? Could we use it with our old PlayStation? What options were available with and without cable? He prepared for the transport—noting dimensions and weight. Would it fit in the car? Would he need help carrying it? He prepared for the experience—resting in the late afternoon then inviting the girls and me into a rousing board game Thursday night. He was able to stay awake. When he arrived at the store, it was crowded. Lots of other people had stayed awake, too. Stayed awake for the beginning of the Christmas season.
The Christmas season? Is it already that time of year? Yes and no. It’s already the commercial Christmas season—with wish lists and sales. It’s already the social Christmas season—planning and attending parties and teas and get-togethers. It’s already the community Christmas season—lighting the Christmas tree on the square and enjoying all the decorations on the Christmas home tour. But on our Christian calendar, in the seasons of the church, it is not yet Christmas. It is Advent. It is a time to prepare our hearts, our minds, ourselves for the coming of Christ.
It is a time of the already and the not yet. We remember and celebrate the coming of the Messiah as a vulnerable human baby. We remember and celebrate Jesus’ birth 2000 years ago. We remember and celebrate God becoming one of us. This is the already.
In today’s scripture, Jesus says, “Stay awake!” But he’s not talking about a Black Friday sale. He is referring to keeping watch for God’s presence here among us. For Advent is also a time that we anticipate with hopeful expectation Christ’s return— when God’s justice will be fully realized here on earth. God’s justice—that those who are weak and vulnerable be lifted up by those who are strong and powerful. This is the not yet.
Not yet are all the hungry fed. Not yet are all the sick healed. Not yet are all the grieving comforted. Not yet are all the lonely visited. Not yet do all persons experience abundant and eternal life.
If we want to see Jesus, then we must wake up and respond to the needs of those who are weak and vulnerable. In so doing, we move from the already into the not yet.
Stay awake! In this time of the year—the commercial, the social, the community
Christmas season—it is so easy to be busy—busy planning, baking, shopping, partying. It is easy to be so busy with Christmas season activities that we fail to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ. Engaged with the activity around us, we fall asleep to the spiritual season. Jesus says, “Stay awake! Be alert! Keep watch!”
I invite you to keep watch for Christ this Advent season—to seek his presence.
In my last year of seminary, I met weekly with three other women students. We supported one another—emotionally, spiritually, physically, and intellectually.
And we held each other accountable to the spiritual disciplines we chose to practice. One of the questions we answered to the group was “When was I closest to Christ this week?” or “When was I most aware of Christ’s presence?” Knowing that I would be asked this question every Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. motivated me to keep watch, to be alert for experiences of Christ in my day-to-day life.
I confess that since the 4 of us graduated and moved away from seminary, I have been lulled into a kind of sleep. I have not regularly considered “When I was most aware of Christ’s presence this week?” I pledge to you that during Advent I will resume pondering this question.
“When was I closest to Christ this week?” On Monday and Tuesday I read to our pre-school classes. One little boy ran up to me, threw his arms around my waist, and with a big smile on his face announced, “I have been waiting for you.” In his simple, joyful reception, I experienced Christ’s presence.
During Advent, I invite you to join me—asking yourself at the end of each week—When was I closest to Christ? Perhaps in anticipating answering this question, you will find yourself fully immersed in Advent—preparing for Christ’s coming.
The good news is that God is here among us—already. In this Advent season may we wake up and see that. May we wake up and live life fully—stepping out into the not yet! May we wake up and serve the One who was, the One who is, the One who always will be—Jesus the Christ.
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