Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (NRSV)
Toddlers are notorious for resisting sleep. Life is much too exciting for boring old naps and the dreaded evening bedtime. Something might happen! Little ones can be quite comical (and/or maddening) in their quest to stay up “just a little while longer.” Teenagers, on the other hand, want and need more sleep. My now 23-year-old daughter epitomizes this dynamic to its utmost. As a little girl, she resisted naps and bedtime with all her might; if she wasn’t exhausted by her shenanigans, her parents certainly were! As a teenager and now a young adult, long naps became a coveted luxury.
In today’s passage, Jesus’ words to the disciples are a reminder of the natural rhythm of life cycles. The disciples are looking for a sign. As the seasons change, they know what to expect. Year after year, even during the roughest of winters, spring eventually comes. The branch becomes tender. Remember that – God remains steadfast. Even so, Jesus urges the disciples to practice a mature balance of resting in the assurance of God’s presence, and being ready for the unexpected. When things are shaken up, the faithful should be prepared.
The tradition of Watch Night services ties together this rhythm in a tangible way. Faith communities gather on New Year’s Eve to remember the year that has gone by and to pray together for the year that is about to unfold. They stay awake together as the New Year comes in as a sign of their preparedness. As you enter the Advent season, might you prepare a similar ritual of remembering and watching?
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (NRSV)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.