Daily Readings: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; Hosea 6:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming. I Thessalonians 1:2-10, NRSV

One thing that jumps out at me when I read this text from First Thessalonians is how encouraging it is and I think encouragement is one thing we could all use at this time of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere at least, Advent arrives during the darkest and coldest time of the year. Culturally speaking, the Christmas season, that now arrives long before Advent even begins, is filled with unrealistic expectations and a commercialized sense of joy that for most of us rings pretty hollow. I would argue that without Advent, Christmas is just another mindless commercial holiday. Emmanuel, the light coming into the world, is not good news at all unless it can pierce the darkness that lurks deep in our wounded and battered hearts and souls, a darkness that Advent invites us to contemplate and wrestle with. 

This is why Paul’s words of encouragement are so important for us to overhear this Advent season. He was writing to a band of disciples who were struggling with ostracization and persecution in their own community and their own time. Through the din of this noisy world, we too need to hear that we are beloved of God. We too need to know deep in our hearts that God finds us worthy and chooses us. We too need to admit that we are the answer to prayer for others. So I invite you, as you wrestle with all that is going on in our world and all that is going on in your world this Advent season, to be encouraged, for the love of God for you and for me can and will never wane.  

Grace and Peace to you this Advent season.

May both shadow and light guide you to God-With-Us.

Offered by Dave Fredrickson