I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from
under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that
is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you,
and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and
your sons’ wives with you.
Genesis 6: 17-18
Let’s be honest: this isn’t an easy text. We’re preparing for Christmas—
aren’t we supposed to be remembering the joy and wonder of Jesus’
birth? We should be wrapping presents, decorating our homes, and
celebrating the wonders of the season with friends and family, not
remembering a time when God promised to destroy all living things!
Except we all know the harsh realities of life don’t stop when December
begins. Maybe this is precisely the right time to tell the truth—life is hard.
Life is hard and there are things we don’t understand. Life is hard and
we’ve suffered losses that are even harder to bear at Christmas time. We
should be honest with ourselves and with God about these harsh realities.
This is where our grief and despair collide with another powerful truth—
God’s unfailing love, and promise of new life in Jesus.
Friends, this Advent season may we give ourselves permission to
acknowledge our struggles and grief and look forward with hope to the
new life Jesus promises to give.
God of light, shine your love into the darkness of life. May we be reminded
today that this season is about a Love that will never let us go. In the holy
name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Jennifer Heavner is Pastor of Star of Bethlehem and a member of the
Lutheran Congregational Services’ Advisory Board.
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