Third of Advent 2009 - Shout for Joy
December 2009
Today is the day we pause in our preparations for Christmas and consider that the Lord is near. This pausing in joyful expectation gives us time to consider how lucky we are, and I quote Jesus of Nazareth; ‘For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’
As Jesus said ‘The Kingdom of God is not of this world.’ It abides in the spirit, the heart , the mind. It abides in the presence of God.
The Kingdom of God; that is ‘Immanuel’ - God with us - brings me inner peace and inner joy no matter how good or bad or joyful or painful, how fulfilling or unfulfilling life may be for me.
It goes much deeper than the heart and the mind. It is faith and trust in the presence and goodness of God even as I hang nailed to the cross and cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
If I dig deep enough I will find traces of this basic faith and trust in my God. If I desire it with all my heart and ask for it with humility I will certainly receive it from my God.
So let me rejoice and be glad as I await the celebration of ‘Immanuel.’