Women of Advent…Elizabeth

After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.  ‘The Lord has done this for me’, she said.  ‘In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.’  Luke 1: 24-25

As a child, the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed to slow to an unbearable, near slow-motion tick.  Every morning was filled with anticipation for the morning.  Festivities designed to keep my attention diverted from the count down calendar (referred to by serious grown-ups as Advent) helped.  A little.

There were parties and pageantry, lightings and trimming of trees, greetings from far-away family and friends, and best of all, music.  Between Perry Como and Amy Grant records playing on the giant sideboard-like turntable situated in our dining room, I sang my way through many Decembers.

Ever looming though was the awareness that the pinnacle of the year, the day that made all 364 previous days pale in their attempt at glory, was Christmas Day.  Because on that day, I believed something magical lay wrapped beneath the tree, hand picked just for me.

Much of the Christmas story, and our own stories, are enveloped in the belief of what is yet to come. Elizabeth waited her entire child-bearing years for a baby; when none came, she refused to accept that her advanced age could somehow limit the God she trusted. What seemed absurd to hope for, even to her own husband, God gave. They eventually had a son who was “a joy and a delight; filled with the Holy Spirit from birth, in order to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

A Christmas miracle.

Or as Elizabeth put it, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Thirty years after his birth, their son John proved to be the gift that kept on giving.  “The people were waiting expectantly and were wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.”  But he answered them, “..One more powerful than I will come.”

 Jesus.

The physical form of the invisible God, John beheld, baptized, and bestowed on those already prepared.

Wonder. Expectancy. Possibility.  These are the gifts of Christmas Advent.

These are how we fill our days of waiting; with childlike anticipation for the wonders of his love to be revealed in us. These are how we honor our years of expectant longing; with joyous confidence the One through whom all things are possible, has come.

Our belief is he came as a baby, grew as a man, died as a savior, and lives as king.  Our assurance is he is coming again.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Even so, Come Lord Jesus.  Revelation 22:20