missing the point of advent

i haven’t lived up to my promise to post more this advent season. truth be told, most of my energy and focus has been directed at a large white board that lurks in my office at the church. for the past 4 weeks this board has laid out plans for our christmas eve service. once neatly arranged, the board is now a crowded mess of ideas, lists, drawings, even multi-colored cards, each symbolizing some idea to develop and fit into a 60 minute worship service this wednesday night. each week the board changes. ideas get scratched. plans get re-arranged. questions arise that need to be thought through. every day that passes is one less to accomplish the things that need to be done in order for Christmas to happen…

as i write that sentence, i feel a little like martha, the woman who took pride in all she was “doing” for her Lord when all He wanted of her was to sit at His feet.

those moments sitting “at His feet” can be tough to find in December, whether you work at a church or not. the arrival of anyone, whether it’s a friendly dinner guest or the Savior of the world, involves preparation. for one you cook up a meal, set the table and fluff the couch pillows. for the other, you wait expectantly and live as He taught us.

peace to you during these last days of advent. i hope that this christmas moves you closer to the heart of God.

~ by bradherndon on December 22, 2008.