I almost missed Advent

Yesterday Advent began and I almost missed it.

Last night I stood under a bedazzle of millions of Christmas lights all dancing to music blaring through the streets, all the glitter and noise celebrating US! And our stuff! And fun! Welcome to the season of eating and spending and all our desires fulfilled! I stood agape with the rest of the crowd and felt the Christmas frenzy coming on. 

 

Around the corner from the party a quiet street held the obligatory nativity. No dancing lights here, no blaring music. As if the creators of the show somehow knew that here was a sacred thing. Though the scene was fake and even a bit cheesy, that place somehow for me became holy. This was not a place to be profaned by our noisy self-worship.

A crazy thought. What if these thousands of people celebrating suddenly stopped and knelt at the manger? What if we all went together to this holy place? What if we hushed our hearts to listen? What would we see? What would we hear?

Advent. Coming. A season for reflecting upon the coming of Christ into our world. This is a holy time. That chaos and noise and frenzied search for meaning? That’s exactly what He came to enter into. To stop us. Still us. Show us the way.

He came that long ago time to those whose hearts were ready. Shepherds standing under the endless, quiet sky. Wise men searching that same sky for promise, for hope. Anna and Simeon, waiting in the temple for God to speak. And a terrified mother and father, gazing with bewildered wonder at the God in their arms.

He came to be touched. Held. Heard. Known. He is still coming. It’s easy to miss Him when the world beckons and bedazzles. It is easy to lose Advent when the demands of life press in.

This is when we must press into Him.

Nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall, but God is coming to save us and make us glad. He calls us to “Be still, and know that I am God.” When we are still, then HE is exalted (Psalm 46).

Stillness is a choice. Pressing in is a discipline. Advent is the perfect time to step into the holy hush of His coming. Miracles might be waiting for us in the quiet. Rest might restore us to the God who calls for us.

When the loud lures, let’s step around the corner into the stillness of His presence. He is here, and He has been here all along. He always comes for us, if we will let Him.