11/26/2024 0 Comments Stand up & Raise your headsLuke 21:25-36
First Sunday of Advent Many are feeling a deep sense of despair, a feeling of hopelessness. To see that half of Americans do not hold the same values of inclusiveness and equity and that there is still deep racism and sexism in the hearts of people, it can really become disheartening. These acts of hate cause despair, especially for those who feel called to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s even heavier to see that some Christians voted against policies designed to help the outcast, to welcome the stranger, and to give food and clothing to the poor. Serving the poor and the immigrant are at the core of Jesus’ teachings. Jesus himself was a poor refugee seeking asylum the first part of his life. When we hear messages contrary to our personal understanding of the gospel, it can cause despair. When we enter into despair and begin to feel a sense of hopelessness, our despair can take a physical manifestation. We feel it in our bodies. We feel a heaviness in our chest, and a sick feeling in our stomach. We withdraw and isolate ourselves. We want to stay in bed and pull the covers over our heads. Despair can curl our bodies over as it literally weighs us down into fetal position. Life has brought many very low, and then now we enter Advent. Advent and Christmas can bring another layer of despair, but in the midst of it, God holds out life-giving gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, and light. This Advent season, as we prepare for gift exchanges with friends and family, let us reflect on the gifts given to us by the greatest giver of all and how we can receive and embrace those gifts even in the most difficult of times. This week, perhaps we exchange our despair for hope. Perhaps we begin by lifting our eyes to the hills. Psalm 121: 1-2 says, “I lift my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” We need the Lord’s help to exchange despair for hope. We begin by opening our eyes and lifting them up to look for God’s help. We take them off the things that draw our eyes from our pits of despair and lift them up to see God before us. Next, perhaps we then begin looking for the signs of Jesus’ coming. Luke 21:25 says, “There will be signs.” Notice what the earth is showing us. Look for Christ in the heavens and on the earth. The trees show us that promise of hope with its continual growth patterns. Nature assures us that each season is important to its future, so pay attention to the leaves sprouting on the branches. “See for yourselves” (v.30) that Christ is drawing near, and then, perhaps, we “stand up and raise our heads” because we can now see Christ. Our bent-over and low stance previously prevented us from seeing Christ around us. We were once physically weighed down by life, but we exchange our physical posture to one that lifts us up. We now “stand up and raise our heads” as we see for ourselves the signs of redemption (v.28). Now is not the time to succumb or wallow in despair. Now is the time to lift our eyes, raise our heads, and stand up to receive the hope Christ brings. Let us not hang our heads in despair, but raise them in hope. Let us all “stand before the Son of Man,” (v.36) with hearts filled with the gift of hope. Let us all exchange our despair for Christ’s hope. Reflection Questions: What does your physical posture look like right now? Are you buckled over in a pit of despair or are you beginning to lift your eyes to Jesus? What or who can help you stand up and raise your head to God? What sign of redemption do you see? What causes you despair? How can you exchange that for hope? Pray: Lord, we bring you our despair, so we can make room in our hearts to receive your hope. Show us a sign this week of your lasting and eternal hope. Action: Write down on a piece of paper something that causes you despair and then destroy it – by ripping it up, shredding it, or burning it. Do some physical act to symbolize that you are exchanging your despair for Christ’s hope. *New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
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