The word for this week of Advent is "joy". This word has stuck with me as I have journeyed through this week. The word "joy" is found all through out scripture but what is it? GK Chesterton said in his book Orthodoxy that "joy" is the gigantic secret of the Christian. "Joy" when it is used in scripture is always a reminder that it comes as the result of faith and obedience. It isn't an instantaneous sing a couple of hallelujahs and lets have some joy. No joy is deep seated in the Christian narrative. It is burrowed in the story of patience and hope in the midst of trials. The Christmas consumerist experience is a microcosm of our cultural issues. We are all bent on instantaneous gratification. I am going to get what I want and when I want it. And nothing beats the fruition of our labor when we get what we want. It is kind of disgusting when we get to the bottom of it.
My hope for you is that you would pause during this time of go, go, go and center yourself. Take time to pray and be patient. Take time to pray for your family and friends. Take time to be grateful. Take time to read scripture.
Our seeking of instantaneous gratification is slowly killing our souls. We get angry when life doesn't come out the way we think it ought.
Yet the joy of a Christian isn't one that expects instant gratification. The Christian narrative is one that doesn't gloss over the reality that life is messy. The Christian narrative reminds us that we live in the "here and now" of perpetual "not yets." There are moments of immense happiness (you got a job, you got some good grades, your girlfriend thinks your cute) and really low and sad moments (your parent dies suddenly, you get in a fight with your parents, you got an F on your progress report, your girlfriend doesn't like you anymore or no longer thinks your cute...). The Christian narrative expects these realities. But that isn't the only expectation. We recognize that in the midst of trials that Christ is coming. And we can have "joy." A trial is no obstacle for joy. It is only a means by which we come to experience the joy of belonging to Christ in his fullness. We need to be reminded often of this truth because it is so easy to be sucked back in to our cultural narrative. I feel horrible today... I will order a new iphone. Or get my mom to buy it.
And maybe along our journey we will continue to experience this secret of joy. Lets take our next right step towards Jesus.
"Come thou long expected Jesus..."
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