Spirit-Tending in the Fast LaneThis monthly meditation is sponsored by the Spiritual Formation Ministry. We hope it will be a useful tool for staying connected to Spirit in the midst of the busyness of life, to stop and remember who and what matters.
May we suggest that prior to reading the meditation you take a couple of deep breaths, allowing your body to relax and unwind. Then begin reading slowly, giving time for the words to take hold.
The season of Advent begins a new church year as we, once again, “wait” for the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We often describe these three weeks (four Sundays) before Christmas as waiting for the Light. Those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere actually experience this in a physical way as the days shorten and we wait for the winter solstice and the days’ gradual lengthening.
In Isaiah 9:2, we read, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined.”John’s Gospel begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things came into being through him… What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
Jesus came 2000 years ago to model, to inspire, and to challenge. He came to be the Light for a dark world and, to this day, seeks to shed light on our present world, its political, economic, and religious structures. He also seeks to enter our individual lives, to shine his Light into the dark places, doing it in loving and life-giving ways. This Advent we are reminded, once again, that Light, Love, and Life are coming, in fact, are already here! All we need do is be open and receive.
Reflective Moment: Where in your life might you invite Jesus to shed his light?
Prayer Moment: “Jesus, please shed your loving and life-giving light into the dark places of my life. Amen.”