Take a look at the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah. Because of the eruption of God's love and righteousness, adversarial relationships are brought into intimacy. The "one" who has the capacity to move you to fight, fear and flight sits at your side. And you lean totally upon God's protection as the encounter unfolds...God's Wisdom and Knowledge of what is right eclipses any instinct or anticipation about what the "other" might do or how he/she might be, or how you might be in that experience.
Clearly I am talking about a whole lot more than being together in "good cheer"! We are looking at a dissolution of preconceived ideas about the harm or offense that "might" happen.... We are looking at a surprising, unforeseen emergence of peace, justice and comforting hope.
The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
Ponder these images.....
What would it be like if we looked at some of events facing us this month of Advent through the lens of God's protective and righteous love? Who are the leopards and wolves you face? In the pasture of your self esteem, who or what is competing for a particular "blade" of status or recognition? As you face the unknown, which may seem like a fearsome threat in the dark hole of the future, can you trustingly let your life, and your goals "hover" in that space?
Like I said.... Advent is a time of promise, but not necessarily a time without pain. Hang in there, friends.... Christ is coming!
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