Advent. A time to reflect, to anticipate, to hope. A time to rejoice that we are alive in Christ and to remind ourselves that we are still waiting for our full redemption. A time to give thanks that Jesus has come, and to look forward to when He will come again. A time to remember that the best is yet to come.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus came to make all things new. And He did it in ways that blew all expectations out of the water.
Think about it…coming as a baby instead of a conquering king appeared confusing. Going to the cross instead of overthrowing Rome looked like foolishness. And leaving the fate of the church in the hands of a motley crew seemed like a plan for disaster.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27
This is where faith comes in. In everything God does, He asks us to trust Him. To “not lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways to acknowledge Him” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
When the angel appeared to Mary, a young virgin, and told her that she was chosen to carry the Messiah and give him birth, her world was turned upside down. Like every good Jewish girl, she lived in hope of the Messiah. But she never expected that He would come through her. And she knew that her community would not believe it.
Many people in the Bible argued with God when He gave them assignments. And some of us are prone to do that as well. But Mary demonstrates great faith by simply saying, “I am the Lord’s servant. May Your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38 NIV).
I’m sure that Mary’s faith was tested many times in the years following the angel’s visit. We know it was during the next nine months as she experienced the deep humiliation of being pregnant and not married. And yet, she remained faithful. And God blessed her with a husband who also had great faith.
Advent reminds us that faith is all God wants, and all that pleases Him. Faith that His ways are right and good, even when they make no sense at all to us. Faith to say “yes” to what God asks us to do.
In all our trials and triumphs, God promises His presence. Immanuel … God with us. As the baby in the manger. As the teacher in the synagogue. As the healer of disease and brokenness. As the redeemer of mistakes. As the forgiver we desperately need. As the Savior who will carry us to our eternal home in His perfect timing.
In this second week of Advent, we are reminded that we walk by faith, and not by sight. And we cry out, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see you!” I want to see you, Jesus, in my isolation and mask-wearing. I want to believe that You are using this pandemic-even though I don’t understand how-to bring glory to Yourself and to make all things new.
Advent is a call for us to return to the simplicity of faith. It reminds us to stop trying to second-guess God and figure it out on our own, and to stop giving Him our game plan. Just as His birth, life, death, and resurrection was not the way we would have done it, what He is doing now in us and our world is probably not the way we would do it.
But God’s plan worked perfectly. It saved us. And He is still saving today.
-by Elizabeth Griffin
Elizabeth Griffin is a senior writer at CRISTA Ministries. Her journey as a mom of a child with autism can be followed on her blog “Follow the Dots” at elizabethgriffin.com.
