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Jeremiah 33.14-16

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

The days are short and keep getting shorter. I am far from home and what I consider to be “my life”; I’m upstate with elderly parents who are recuperating but also insisting they can do everything themselves. I wonder daily is this my life? What am I up here for; am I really helping?

And there is advent. A time to recall the promise made by God to his people, a promise of hope and restoration, a promise of safety, and a promise of justice and righteousness.

So on days where all of the dislocation and tumult feels so overwhelming, the message of advent strikes me as a call. Have faith that God has moved me to be right where I need to be. Pray, meditate, listen - there is hope even in this hour, this moment, this breath. God’s promise is coming, stay awake, stay present and know that promise is being fulfilled.

John 1.6-9

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

The first thing I noticed is that light comes through hearing from a witness, someone telling us. The author is careful to tell us the witness was not the light, but a witness to it. The witness is a human, an “earthly” creature, like us. God uses this witness to point us in his direction.

I also noticed legal words like witness and testify were used. Those make me think of how a witness must be very careful to tell the truth and not take this job lightly, that words are important.

Jesus is called the true light, the Savior that was coming into the world. Light is a rich metaphor because in light there is truth, brightness, knowledge and beauty. We have a house in rural Pennsylvania and the times we have remembered to go out to look at a clear night sky, it is magnificent. The sky is completely covered with twinkling stars; lights shining in darkness. Those stars are always up there whether or not we take the time to notice them. Maybe the problem is that I fail to see how great the light actually is. It takes an awe-inspiring night sky to remind me. When we stare at God’s beauty, taking the time; we are moved and enlightened. Then we can be a witness and tell someone about it.

John 1.1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Words, words, words, pages filled with words, word clouds, word walls, spewing words… As I’ve limped out of this election season--somewhat tattered and battered but thankfully recovering sleep, sanity, and slowly relationships—I’ve given a lot of thought to words and their purposes: To name. To communicate. To persuade. To obscure. To confuse. To encourage. To embolden.

In reading this scripture, the poetic opening cadence brought me back to Genesis with God calling forth creation, and this thought leapt out at me: Words give life, and we must be intentional about the life we wish to bring forth.

Indeed, I recently inscribed in my journal and my heart this prayer of Howard Thurman: “Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace. Teach me how to order my days with such sure touch that I may say the right word at the right time and in the right way—lest I betray the spirit of peace.” And, in recent moments fraught with tension, I meditated on this intention of being an instrument of God’s peace through my words.

But the scripture is not just about words, it is about the Word incarnate: Jesus! Who brings light everlasting, who overcomes all darkness! And Jesus is ultimately about Love.

So, in this new season – the season of Advent – perhaps we should put aside our words and instead open our hearts and minds to the love of Jesus.

Lord, let us set aside our own words and instead open our hearts to your Word coming alive inside us and among us. That we may radiate your love and peace in all that we are and all that we do.