Church Time

Columnist Peter Hitchens once remarked that the King James Version of the Bible was written "to be remembered, to lodge in the mind and to disturb the temporal with the haunting sound of the eternal." (Full article here) I share his sentiment about the beautiful, ancient language of that translation, and would add something else to the list: the liturgical calendar.

I first encountered the liturgical calendar at the top of the program I was given as I entered Ebeneezer Lutheran Church on Walker Ave. in Greensboro as a college student. I read that the day I had come was a "Sunday of Epiphany". I had no idea what that meant. Shortly afterward, as soon as I had gotten used to the flow and melodies of a Lutheran service, the music abruptly changed one Sunday as we entered into Lent. Believing I had things down, I sang out confidently the wrong melody and drew some embarrassing attention to myself. 

The idea is that, at different time of the year, Christians focus their energies and attention on different aspects of their spiritual lives. The time we presently find ourselves in is the season of Advent.

Advent is comprised of the four weeks before Christmas. It's a season of expectant waiting. But waiting for what?

Before Christ was born, people who believed in God and trusted Him to fulfill His promises knew that He was sending someone to redeem them from their sins and set things right. Jewish tradition called this person the "Messiah", or anointed one (for an interesting list of predictions concerning the Messiah and their fulfillment, check this out).

I've never really attached any significance to dates. Aside from the avaricious hunger for stuff that I experienced as a kid waiting for Christmas, I don't ever remember eagerly anticipating or reveling in a day simply due to it's occurrence on a calendar. This can be good, for instance, when I don't experience a breakdown on the anniversary of a tragedy, but also dangerous, causing me to be extra diligent to remember my girlfriend's birthday or our anniversary. 

But the liturgical calendar calls me to attend to the realities that shape my existence. Advent is a reminder that a lot of my life is built upon waiting for the things I've been promised. Some passages from Hebrews 10 come to mind:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... -Heb 10:23-24

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, "In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay." Heb. 10:36-37

The life we're called to live is difficult. If the Bible is right, and we're not made to live in this world, then we're called to live somewhere we don't belong, and that's a hard thing. But it won't always be that way. Advent reminds us that waiting is part of life, and also affirms that it's not forever. We will receive that which we patiently seek- for every Advent, there is Christmas. 

"We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!"

-1 Corinthians 13:12The Message (MSG)