Blue Christmas

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord GOD of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.  How long? If there is a question for advent, perhaps this is it.  How long must we wait?  How long can we wait?  Whenever we are in the midst of crisis or suffering or depression, doesn't this seem to be the first thing we want the answer to?  How long will this go on? Sometimes we feel as if we can't wait.  We are "drinking our tears in full measure" until we think we must surely dry out from all the crying. Advent has been in the past a time of painful waiting for me.  About ten years ago right before Christmas, I had a miscarriage.  It was the worst Christmas season of my life.  The holiday music and lights seemed to taunt me.  Words and ideas like "scorn" and "enemies laughing" seemed to be the ones that I could identify with.  How long, I asked God, are you going to make me wait to be happy again? Christmas time is often a time of great sadness for many people.  This year I saw that in our area several churches are offering "Blue Christmas" services.  These services are for people who are suffering this time of tear; people for whom Christmas is not a time of joy.  If that person is you this year, I encourage you to look for a service in your area.  For those in Southeastern Pennsylvania, here is a listing of some of those services.  Some have already passed, but there are three more left: http://ministrylink.org/article/congregations-list-blue-christmas-services/ What is it we are waiting for during the long dark nights of advent?  Restoration says the psalmist.  Restoration.   The place of sorrow, sadness, suffering…the place of waiting: those aren't the places we are meant to stay.  They are the valleys we will go through, but as Christmas comes we wait for restoration.  We wait to be brought into right relationship and wholeness.  We wait for a Messiah who comes in love to heal and draw us closer to God.  We wait for our tears to be dried and the light to come into our life. Come Lord Jesus.  Restore us. *** Lord Jesus come.  Come into this dark and often frightening world and be the light for our lives.  A light that shines out so that we can see others in truth and life. Restore us as your people and restore us to right relationship with you and this world.  Amen.