Revelation – When You Least Expect It

I’ve shared this story many times, but it is absolutely my favorite Advent/Christmas story.  So here is goes again. Someday it’s also going to be in my book of lessons learned from the adults with intellectual disabilities who attend Camp Rainbow Connection (CRC). Those have been some of my greatest lessons about God’s unconditional love over the last 14 years.

In 2001, my second summer as the Director of CRC, we celebrated “Christmas Love” as the theme of the two camp sessions.  Each day during Bible class, the staff focused on a portion of the story of the birth of Jesus.  Activities, Bible passages, and drama each day moved toward acting out the full story on the last day of class.  On that morning, each camper was given a part to play.  As the characters were being helped into their costumes, everyone realized that Kevin didn’t have a part.  Now, Kevin is a large man: probably a little over 6’ tall and around 300 lbs.  Kevin immediately responded, “I can be Baby Jesus!”  Use your imagination here to visualize a really large Baby Jesus in the manger. 

The leaders of the class dressed Kevin in a purple robe.  They showed him the place where he was to go sit when it was time for Jesus to arrive in the story.  The classroom had been set up with two chairs on one side with space between them.  When Mary and Joseph arrived at the stable, they would take their place in the chairs.  When it was time for Jesus to be born, Kevin would sit on the floor between the two chairs.

As Mary and Joseph came through the door into the classroom, Kevin plopped himself down right between the chairs.  One by one, most of the leaders went over to Kevin, telling him that it wasn’t time for Jesus yet.  He needed to move until the time was right.  Mary and Joseph walked across the room as if they were traveling to Bethlehem and took their places.  Kevin as still there  -  hadn’t budged and wasn’t going to.  He just continued to sit quietly…waiting…and leaders kept telling him Jesus wasn’t in the story yet, he should get up.  Finally, Kevin looked up at the last person that told him that and made the announcement:  “I know!  I’m in the womb.”

What we thought was stubbornness…what we thought was wanting to “steal the show” from the other characters…what we thought was a failure to understand the story…was actually a great revelation (that came with much laughter).  Kevin not only knew the details of the story of Jesus’ birth, but he knew how important it was to quietly wait for the Christ child to arrive. He knew our hearts, minds, and bodies needed to be ready to receive this amazing gift.

I’ve never thought of Advent or Christmas in the same way since that day in the summer of 2001. Can you honestly say you’re willing to wait and discern God’s call for you and your church, or are you caught up in the drive to act and maybe take over the show yourself? My prayer is that we can all put on our purple robes, sit quietly and listen until God’s plan is ready to emerge.

Impossible! No Way! Won’t Happen!

The characters in the familiar stories that make up our journey through Advent teach us about facing the impossible.  First, there’s Elizabeth conceiving and giving birth a child in her old age. Why, it is so impossible the news left her husband, old Zechariah, speechless. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

Then there is the story of the angel’s announcement to Mary that she was to give birth to the Christ child. It is truly a story of impossibilities – of “no way” – of “it won’t happen.”

·        A pregnant virgin having a child and remaining a virgin. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

·        Joseph following through on the marriage when he discovers she is pregnant. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

·        Avoiding death when the family and neighbors hear the news. Impossible! No way! Won’t happen!

So I ask you: What are the impossibilities in your world? What are the things that make you say: Impossible! No way! Won’t happen! This Advent season in particular, we're caught, suspended between fear and hope, on the edge of a new day but facing formidable challenges: violence, unrest in many countries, poverty, economic crises, harm to the earth...so many problems, and many of them mirrored in our own personal lives in broken relationships, ill health, money worries, troubled consciences.

Yet the angel said, “Nothing is impossible with God!”

Whether in Temple or dusty little village, with elderly parents-to-be surprised by joy or a young maiden facing an unexpected and dangerous pregnancy, the stories of Advent speak of trust in God at work in the lives of ordinary people in very surprising ways. 

When the impossible hits – and when the impossible thing has impacted our lives, broken our hearts and shattered our dreams, the message comes to us again, "...nothing shall be impossible with God."

Impossible things confront us, and we are frightened, angered, depressed or any number of other emotions that can leave us crushed and hurting. However, if – and this is important, if we stop and listen for the still small voice within, we hear the good news that nothing shall be impossible with God. It's really all about God and what God is doing in our lives and our world – not about us.

Trusting that all things are possible with God requires a leap of faith. Are you ready to jump?

Have I Got News for You!

The Rev. Dr. Bill Self, former pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, GA, has written that his favorite Christmas story is about the young boy who was given a very important role in the church Christmas play. He was to be the angel and announce the birth of Jesus. For weeks he rehearsed the line that had been given to him, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy."

Any time the family was together and the boy was there, they would dress him up in his costume and he would rehearse his part. They were certain that he would grow up to become an actor because of his dramatic ability.

The great night came for the Christmas pageant and everybody was in place. Family members and visitors had come from far and near. There was great excitement. The spotlight hit the young boy and as he stood center stage, his brain froze. Every grandparent, aunt, uncle and neighbor came to the edge of their seats, wanting to say the line for him. Still, his brain was frozen; he couldn't say it. So, finally, in a heroic moment he filled his lungs with breath and blurted out the words, "Have I got news for you!"

I can relate.  I was 10 or so, in the fifth grade, during the time when you could still have religious Christmas pageants in public schools.  I was chosen to be Mary.  I have no memory of where the costume came from, other than thinking one of the local churches had loaned it to the school.  I do remember that I had gotten a true 70's style rain jacket from one of our neighbors around the same time:  sheer nylon outside over big gold and orange flowers so that you could see the flowers through the outside weatherproof material.  I loved that jacket!  So much so that, when we left home, I had to wear it to the play over my costume.  Nobody told me until the play was done that I had forgotten to take the jacket off.  To that point, I knew I had to have been the best Mary ever, only to find out that I had given her a new 1970s interpretation.  I was soooooo embarrassed:  Mary, the mother of Jesus, in gold and orange flowered dress.

No matter how long we have been preparing or how many years we have been practicing, we sometimes still find it hard to believe that we are capable of being God’s witnesses of healing, hope, and restoration in this world that is so splintered in anger and strife. We get tongue-tied, embarrassed, anxious, forget the right costume...the list could go on and on.  As we come to this time of Advent, the time of watching, waiting, and rejoicing, to a time in which we can behold God’s deepest love and mercy, may our hearts and spirits be opened to the great news that God is indeed with us in all times and all places. 

May we be faithful witnesses in our proclamation and in our service.