Psalm 59:9 (NRSV)
O my strength, I will watch for you;
for you, O God, are my fortress.
for you, O God, are my fortress.
Last year at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Exton we began a new tradition. We started our Advent season on the first Sunday after All Saint's Sunday. I won't go into all the reasoning here (if you are interested, you can find Pastor Mark Singh-Hueter's helpful explanation here in our newsletter: http://www.stpaulslionville.org/monthly-newsletter.html)
Suffice it to say here that it has been a wonderful experiment with a lengthening of the Advent season for all intents and purposes to seven weeks rather than four, with the last three spent in joyful celebration that coincides with what the rest of the world is doing in preparation for Christmas.
But for most church folk, Advent began today. Yet whether you are spending your Advent season with liturgical orthodoxy or with liturgical flexibility, either way, we all are still waiting for the Christ child to come.
Advent is the season of waiting. And four words signify the ways in which we wait for Christmas Eve and Life to come. So for this Advent proper season, we'll wait together with those words that will remind us to pause with bated breath for God to come into our midst.
The first word for this week is "Watch." We wait for God, but we wait with eyes open. We are like watchmen at their posts in a posture of anticipation and expectation. Alert.
Waiting for the one who is our strength and fortress.
So this week, let's be alert for the one to come!
For the Light to come into the world!
Open our Eyes Lord! We want to see you! Amen
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