Raise Up Your Heads

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28

This morning dawned cloudy and cold and I quickly turned off the alarm. I tend to turn into a hibernating bear in the winter and find it harder and harder to raise up my head and get out of bed. When I was contemplating rolling over once again, I heard our daughter call from downstairs proclaiming that it was flurrying - the first snow of winter, light as it is. I dashed to the window to see and realized in doing so I had shed the bear and become an expectant child. How is it that the first snow flakes thrill us still? And how is it that we can go from bear to child in seconds?

Jesus, at the end of his ministry is preparing his friends for the hard times ahead. He know that tough times are coming and they may read the signs and think God had abandon them. But he reminds them, and us, not to interpret signs as the world does, and to remember, when facing the worst, we are facing the promises of God breaking forth in our life. Hope is born when we look in the storm and trust that God will see us to the other side. We move from slumbering grumpy bears to light expectant children when we trust that God is doing something wonderful in the midst of the darkness which we see.

May this St. Nicholas Day be a day of unbridled hopefulness and unbridled generosity. God promises in the midst of our worst challenges, the reign of God is coming close and making all things new. May we rejoice and hope today knowing God is working in the darkness to free us from fear. May we live in the light today asking for God's light and strength for all.