Advent Re-Tradition

How did Christmas ever become this machine?

Over last couple years I find myself struggling between my hectic schedules, this money making machine, and casualness of evangelical culture to experience the awe of Christmas. Often times, the season passes, and I feel as if I missed it. This is a holy season. It should be fill us with awe and wonder. Time goes by so casually that we dont notice it. If we ignore lifes rythyms we will miss the significance it means to give us.

A few years ago, while making my own fatherly contribution to this consumer machine I had a revelation. Right there in the seasonal isles of Rite Aid I realized that the Christmas music that was playing was in every way Christian music. It wasnt just feel good music but it was sound in doctrine. Suddenly, the music which I despised from being played before Thanksgiving became holy in the middle of Rite Aid.

Heeding the Flock: Knowing Every Person

“To this end it is necessary, that we should know every person that belongeth to our charge; for how can we take heed them, if we do not know them? We must labor to be acquainted, not only with the persons, but the state of all our people, with their inclinations and conversations; what are the sins of which they are most in danger, and what duties they are most apt to neglect, and what temptations they are most liable to; for if we know not their temperament or disease, we are not likely to prove successful physicians.”

Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor (Chapter 2)

Burning

“If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in HIs name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary of holding it in and I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9

How do explain my job as a pastor? First, it is not a job. Yeah, sure there is a job description and a line of accountability as any job may have. These are necessary and good. But regardless of the things pastors do to stay organized with the expectations of the churches we work for -we are not professionals. Our community might forget this, we might forget this, but God doesn’t.

The truth is-I can’t help myself. If I try not to do it, and I admit, I have tried not to do it, I am miserable. It is not a job but a call. This call burns inside me. When I experience the moments of true spiritual ministry it is amazing. Why God would choose me to be part of this? I don’t know.  This calling can bring me into intense intimacy with God.  Sometimes, it is the most boring job ever. But a wise pastor learns to dive deep into the word and wait on God. His work is that which I cannot ultimately plan to do. I just wait and burn.

Sometimes the burning can be the most restless friend I have ever had, but it is a good friend.

 

The Advent Wreath- a story of faith and compassion

The modern Advent wreath as we know it was created by German Theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881). Wichern best known for his leadership in Christian social compassion had founded a home for poor children. During the Advent season the children would daily ask in anxious expectation if Christmas had arrived. Wichern creatively converted a wagon wheel into a ring of candles (19 small red and 4 large white). He would light a small red candle everyday and a large white one on Sundays to signify the coming of Christmas. Arround  1860 people began to entwine the wooden ring with evergreen cuttings. By the beginning of the 20^th century the Advent wreath had become a Christian tradition.

Traditionally the ring represents the eternal nature of God having no beginning and no end. The candles symbolize Christ as the light of the world. The successive accumulation of light represents the anticipation of the birth of Christ. The ever greens the eternal life of salvation.[i]

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[i] Information gathered from Wikipedia

Burning

“If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in HIs name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary of holding it in and I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9

How do explain my job as a pastor? First, it is not a job. Yeah, sure there is a job description and a line of accountability as any job may have. These are necessary and good. But regardless of the things pastors do to stay organized with the expectations of the churches we work for we are not professionals.

The truth is-I can’t help myself. If I try not to do it, and I admit, I have tried not to do it, I am miserable. It is not a job but a call. This call burns inside me. When I experience the moments of true spiritual ministry it is amazing. Why God would choose me to be part of this? I don’t know.  But, it can bring me into intense intimacy with God.  Sometimes, it is the most boring job ever. But a wise pastor learns to dive deep into the word and wait on God. His work is that which I cannot ultimately plan to do. I just wait and burn.

Sometimes the burning can be the most restless friend I have ever had, but it is a good friend.