Today’s scripture: Luke 1:26-38 (NRSV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Rev. Tammy Mills):
My dog Darby lives with a spirit of expectation! Every morning she lays her big, black lab head on the bed right in front of my face. When I wake up I am usually staring right into her beautiful dark eyes and breathing in her doggie breath. (Mind you, it’s not the most glorious way to wake up, but nevertheless I do feel loved and wanted!)
When I start to get up she gets all excited and her tail beats the wall as she anxiously anticipates what is to come. When my feet hit the floor she really gets excited! She walks right beside me downstairs — all the way, tail beating the walls and head pushing against my hand.
When we get downstairs she is beside herself. She can’t believe what I am about to do. She dances in circles as I fill her bowl with the exact same food she has eaten for the last 12 years! I can’t believe how excited she gets over the same boring food every morning!
As we enter into the advent season we have a choice: it can be just another advent, same as every other year. Or we can be like Darby and cultivate a spirit of expectation. Advent actually means a period of expectant waiting.
Think of Mary waiting nine long months to meet Jesus. She must have been on pins and needles! What would he look like? Would she be able to care for him the way he needed her to? Would Joe and her family accept Jesus?
Are we expecting to meet Jesus during this Advent season? Imagine what our lives would look like if we lived like we really believe we would see Jesus on December 24. What would we do different now? How might knowing we were going to meet Jesus change our attitudes? Could we let our spirits get so excited that we can’t sleep at night because we know Jesus is coming?
We have a choice this advent season: live with a spirit of expectation, like dear old Darby, or let another Advent just pass us by without ever expecting to meet Jesus.
Thought for the day: Advent is all about living with a spirit of expectation. Do you live that way? Do you expect God to work in amazing, extraordinary, never-before-thought-of ways, in your life?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.