Megan McArthur's Blog
Its Christmas Time in the City... / 12.04.09, 05:03 PM
Last night we had Citywide in Philly. Every Thursday evening the teams in our area (Wilmington, Philly, and Camden) get together for either training sessions or some sort of spiritual growth formation. Our city together usually brings in some super cool person to share with us or lead us in an activity. These nights are always highly enjoyable, not only because I get to see all my friends from the tri-state area, but because I usually leave with something pretty cool to dwell on. Last night was no exception to this, as our teams gathered to discuss the Christmas season… the season of advent.
I have always loved Christmas time because of the lights and the gingerbread. Christmas is a time of year when I have celebrated love and generosity, and in recent years the birth of Jesus. I have never looked deeper into the Christmas that the Israelites celebrated, because it seemed irrelevant to our Christmas. Last night however, I began to see Christmas as more than just a time for joy and love. Christmas became a time to recognize God’s faithfulness.
The Israelites had been waiting thousands and thousands of years to have some way to escape the hardships and struggles of this world. For Abraham, Moses, David and the rest of the Hebrew people their was nothing to cling to in their times of despair other than God’s promise to them that they would be delivered. When Jesus was born everything changed. The people celebrated because their time of waiting was ending. The Savior had come… the one who would mean they would be alright. God’s promise to them was fulfilled.
However, the season of waiting did not end with Jesus’ life. As I began to think about how much I am still waiting for, I began to understand what Christmas can really mean. I wait for healing for my heart and to really understand that I am loved. I wait for deliverance from my sins and addictions. I wait to be a better teacher, a better friend, a better child of God. I wait to become less selfish. Sometimes, it seems that my waiting will never end… that I might never be healed, but as I look at the Israelites and the celebration of Christmas I can be assured that my time of waiting will come to an end. God will come back and save me from myself. I don’t need to get frustrated or sad, because I know that my God is faithful. He will deliver me.
This assurance means so much to me. So, this Christmas season despite my impatience and faith that falters at best… I will put my hope in God’s promise that things will not be like this forever. The brokenness that I see everyday in the city of Camden, in my friends, and in myself will be made new. I will wait in this season for God. I will wait… and I will hope.
2 Comments
Leave a Comment...
Read more of Megan McArthur's Blogs.
megan i wrote a check for you then found i did not have my envelope please send me a new one may GOD bless you love you jack
By jack / Dec 4, 06:48 PM / #
Praying for you Megan. Thank you for your meaningful words that gave me hope, too! May the love of Jesus fill you to overflowing as you wait & hope!
By kristine / Dec 7, 10:31 PM / #