MESSENGER
The moment always comes–I should be used to it by now–when I wonder why in the world I’ve committed myself to writing daily reflections during what is already a very full season. The answer, it seems, is that daily reading, writing, and reflecting opens my heart to see the presence of God all around me. And I need that…especially in these Advent days of waiting and longing.
Still, it can also be a heart-opening act to look back at past writing and see where I was a year ago. What has changed? What remains the same? How is God speaking through the memories?
And, after all, it is #TBT (Throwback Thursday)!
Maybe this is all just lengthy justification for not writing anything new today and instead sharing a post from last year’s Advent reflections on today’s word. Or maybe this is precisely how the Holy Spirit works, leading us to wherever we need to be, even if it means turning back for a time.
Where is the Holy Spirit leading you?
Is God using your memories to serve as messengers?
What is God communicating?
Here’s last year’s piece:
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
To be honest, I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired by the word messenger. Messengers seem relegated to days long ago–before telephones, before email, before the Facebook Messenger app. There’s always John the Baptist, I guess. But that was yesterday’s sermon.
At dinner tonight, I asked the boys if anything came to mind when I said the word messenger. Keaton immediately responded pigeon. Aidan mentioned Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl. I find it curious that it was animal messengers that came to mind for both of them. I think about how the beloved animals in my life (precious pets throughout the years) have communicated love and grace to me. That’s probably not as exciting as a carrier pigeon landing with an urgent message, but I’ll take it.
The psalmist says to God, you make the winds your messengers (Psalm 104:4). What can’t God use to proclaim the good news? I love walks in the woods and on our gravel road, because I look forward to God speaking through the trees, the birds, the orderly rows of corn, and the inspiring-in-their-unruliness wildflowers. Messengers.
Logan stayed at the table after the others had left. Mom, he said, you have three energetic and funny sons. I hope you’re grateful for them.
A messenger.
Thank God.
Come, Lord Jesus, come. Open our ears to receive the messages you send us. Amen.