Arise and Wake!

Matthew 24:34-44

Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, or the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour

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A friend and I were talking one day about this passage from the Gospel According to Matthew. We chatted about how it has shaped our modern understanding of the end times, particularly in films and books such as "Left Behind." But the funny thing is that we both thought that if it were true, it would be better to be one of the many left behind instead of being one of the few who were selected to go the first time around. Because you know what kind of people got to go up if this happened, right? It would be the people who judged others without compassion, those who closed doors instead of opened them, and all in all, people who were the physical manifestation of SNL's "Church Lady."

This isn't to say that Jesus doesn't hold us accountable; he does. But this passage within the context of Advent is meant to offer clarity, not fear when it seems like there is no clarity to be had. In the midst of all the sensational headlines, the clickbait banners, and the divisive climate, the reading from the Gospel According to Matthew offers us a different narrative. Cutting through all the muck of the world, we hear words that tell us that at any moment we may come face to face with Jesus. What will happen when we face Jesus? Perhaps we will have realized just how important it is for us to have cultivated our divine sense of purpose because everything else is just a distraction, a tug, a force that tries to separate us from the comfort of God's embrace. 

Don't be fooled during this time of waiting and hoping! This season of Advent calls us to rub the sleep from our eyes so that we might see the divine things that we miss when only pay attention to the mundane happenings of the world around us. We might have been comfortable in our spiritual beds, but it is time to arise and wake up! There is no room for complacency, no time for idle work. When the time comes, and we stand in front of God made flesh, will we be able to lift our heads and not feel shame? God in Jesus Christ came down to earth, and as we wait with anticipation to celebrate that birth, there is a sense of anticipation that should fill our hearts as we start to see the world anew. 

I believe deep down within my soul that Advent is needed now more than ever before. I believe from the very core of my being that hope is needed now more than ever before. When communities we thought we knew well turn against each other, and when families, nations, towns, and relationships seem too broken to mend, that is when we need to step in and be bold. That is when we need to be prophetic and speak the words of hope that we find this Advent season. It is then that we outwardly express Immanuel, God with us. Speak it loudly, shout it from your uppermost room, because we have to remember that God is with us. God is with us and calls us to wake up to rise so that we can be the love, the hope, the joy, and the peace that the little Christ child came into the world to offer all humankind. 

If I could pull back the veil for a moment and speak personally, I want to share that there are days when my heart is tired. Not because there is something medically wrong with me, just want to make that clear. No, I'm speaking about the kind of weariness that you most likely know as well. Even now, my heart is tired, and it wants to rest. There are issues of domestic violence, drug abuse, mental health, discrimination, and so many more injustices there are moments when my heart can't seem to take any more. It's the risk we take when we choose to care, when we choose to love the people Jesus loved and cared for during his ministry. And though my heart may weep on some days, there are many more days where it gathers energy from a deep source of spiritual strength. 

That deep source of spiritual strength comes from God, Immanuel, God with us. It remembers the promises that God has made that one-day wars will cease, certain justice will be granted, patience will be our guide, forgiveness will be bestowed upon creation, and Christ will make an exuberant return. It is times like that we walk in the light of God. It is times like that we wake up, arise, and put on the armor of light so that we might be the light of Christ to the world. No matter what surrounds us or tries to overcome us, we are disciples of God who are on the alert for what is holy, not mundane, and are willing to go out into the vast expanse of chaos in order to share that light with one who needs it more than we. 

Time is a precious gift that can feel like sand slipping through our fingers. This is why it is necessary to remember to let God take care of the ordinary and the dull things in life. I know several people close to me, for whom time is an essential factor. They may not be thinking about Advent or meeting Jesus, but they are concerned with making things right. They are worried about whether or not they are going to leave something good behind. They are set on wanting to make sure they leave nothing behind that may cause pain or anxiety. If they, as people who do not know what Advent is about, can set such high priorities, why can't we, as people who know the truths that are written so deeply on our hearts? 

So arise, wake up! Smell the coffee brewing or the tea or whatever it is that gets you up in the morning because there is work to be done. We do not know the hour of the day, but we do know when Christ returns, the promises of God and our hopes will be fulfilled. This season we are told that Christ came into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world. So let us go and set our minds on the things that truly matter. Let us go and comfort each other's weary hearts and let go of things that will ultimately be meaningless when Christ returns. By doing these things, we speak words of hope to a world that needs hope and together will radiate the light of Christ until the unknown hour and day of his return. Amen.