Here we are...The time is here. The door has opened. We are through to the other side.
Angels came and spoke to men. A child was born. A gift, the Son of Man, came to heal the world and carry its sin. He came with only a handful to know. A young girl and a young man, shepherds and wise men. The world was in darkness and sin.
There are stages in our waiting season. The moment when we rest. The moment when we begin to prepare. The moment when we begin to look beyond ourselves and love one another. And then, when we have become comfortable in our waiting season, and are thinking perhaps after all it's not such a bad spot to be, we find that anticipation comes. We begin to prepare with fresh strengths.
In days of old, a man entertained strangers often. Doors were opened and the stranger was welcomed within. No decent man would turn away a stranger who appeared. In Biblical times, hospitality was not simply inviting someone to stay to supper. It was a spiritual obligation as much as a personal one to offer one's home and comforts to a weary traveler. It was more than entertainment. Hospitality was something deeper. It was a reverence for the person, stranger though they might be. Hospitality was an offering of refuge, refreshment, rest, and restoration. It was the essence of 'Love thy neighbor'.
Often enough the waiting season comes on the heels of a hard season, one in which we'd already begun to question the reasons of our own place in life. There is sometimes a shock when we find ourselves in the waiting zone, but waiting has many purposes.
1. It's a time for rest. Our time at synagogue came on the heels of 10 years of intense involvement, work and study within the churches and synagogue. When John finally agreed to attend church with me, he encouraged us to be active in services, study groups and activities. We often attended church two or three days a week. John entered a period of intense creativity and wrote numerous songs, got involved with the worship team at church and became an ordained worship leader for our synagogue. I started a church newsletter at one church and volunteered for various activities, including church clean up. John mowed grass. We planned vacations to fall between church services.
Several years ago, we took a sabbatical from synagogue. During that time of intense personal study and digging deeper, we came to many realizations but most of all we prayed hard for direction in our life, most especially in our spiritual life. At the end of the time of sabbatical, we were stunned to be told that we needed to step back entirely and leave synagogue. It was not the answer we'd expected to hear.
Her name meant, Worshiper of God. She was of Aaron's lineage and had grown up in a priest's home. She married a man who was also a priest. Her name was Elizabeth.
As a couple, they were devoted to God. Scripture describes the couple as "Righteous" and "blameless" and "walking in the commandments of God", Oddly enough the words used all mean the exact same thing: they walked in faith with God.
They had a good life together.
The Age of Prophecy ended. The people of Judah had been restored to their land, their temple rebuilt and worship restored.
But the people continued to sin and to grieve God.
For the next 400 years, a great silence came from God.
I don't know about your parents, but mine had this look...They didn't say a word, but when I caught their eye and saw The Look, I knew what was ahead of me. When I got The Look, I was due some very real and well earned punishment. They might well act out of anger and general discontent some days but The Look never preceded unmerited punishment.
I have learned a great deal thus far about the old prophets and why they were sent to the people. While Isaiah's prophetic words of Christ to come are powerful and moving, especially at this time of the year, it was not that which most impressed me.
No. What most impressed me was Jeremiah's willingness to speak honestly and truthfully to God about his own doubts and frustrations, to cry out over the hardships and struggles he faced.