Advent IV (The In Between Time)

Advent tells us we live in a time between the first coming of Jesus and the second.  The first is spoken of as coming by the Old Testament prophets, documented as something which did indeed happen by the gospels, and accepted almost without question by the church and the believers who are its witnesses.  The second coming of Jesus is hardly given a glance.  It does not challenge our faith as the idea of Jesus coming again seems to be nothing more than on the edge theology which really has no bearing on the way life is lived in the present age.  

Better to be concerned about degrees for the future, finding a marriage where happy ever after is going to happen, and putting money in the retirement fund than to think about the unlikely possibility that Jesus is going to show up in the clouds to re-order history and create an entirely new way of experiencing reality.  Yet, this is exactly where we live.  In this in between time is exactly where the church is located and it is the real context in which we live.   Over and over the Advent message is to live in a state of readiness.  Advent's call is for us to live as if today, or maybe tomorrow is the day that Christ will return.  The parable of the bridesmaids in Matthew 25 should be understood as a word which speaks clearly about the urgency of living in a state of readiness.  

Some of those within the parable were wise enough to know that readiness was important while others foolishly lived without the urgency of preparation.  While there are things which require our attention, the Advent message is one that reminds us to daily keep an eye toward what God is doing in our midst with every intention of being a part of it.  Participating in the plan of God and expecting Him to show up once again is the life to which Advent beckons us.  It is not a season of being prepared for Christmas, but a season of being prepared for Christ to arrive once again.