Isaiah 64:11-12 The Message
Still, God, you are our Father.
We’re the clay and you’re our potter:
All of us are what you made us.
Don’t be too angry with us, O God.
Don’t keep a permanent account of wrongdoing.
Keep in mind, please, we are your people-all of us.
Your holy cities are all ghost towns:
Zion’s a ghost town,
Jerusalem’s a field of weeds.
Our holy and beautiful Temple,
which our ancestors filled with your praises,
Was burned down by fire,
all our lovely parks and gardens in ruins.
In the face of all this,
are you going to sit there unmoved, God?
Aren’t you going to say something?
Haven’t you made us miserable long enough?
Waiting is the word synonymous with Advent. We wait and while we wait, we prepare. For the majority of us that “preparation” means Christmas cards, decorations and shopping. Such activity is far from the internal work John the Baptist demanded.
While the world shoves past our shoulders, racing off and racing ahead, we are called to stop our browsing, our planning, our bedazzling and simply wait for something more. Impossible, we think and irresponsible we feel. We forget that waiting is a very active thing. It requires keeping yourself busy with something less important, it’s being aware every time a door opens knowing your name might be called. Its listening, looking towards every noise, sitting comfortably while prepared to stand. It’s exhausting and as nothing can be done to speed things up, frustration sets in, fueled by interior dialogue. “Don’t people know how long we have been here? Didn’t they know we were coming?” Crankiness begins to reign, and no matter who we talk to, no matter what we tell them, we find ourselves sitting or pacing, legs tapping, fingers drumming and waiting. We are never coming back here.
The Israelites waited a long time and they began to believe that God would never act. Their lives seemed on hold as they complained, yelled, bargained and then many eventually left the faith. Isaiah boldly tells God that it’s kind of His fault people have acted badly. If He hadn’t kept them waiting so long, they would have been able to hold on to their faith. The same is true for people today, God’s silence translates to God not existing and people abandon the faith they sought. This yearly time of waiting is an exercise to remind us that no matter how long and agonizing the wait, God is there and will come to us, embodying powerlessness and love.
~ Upcoming Events ~
Saturday, December 2
Trip to see “The Star”
5 pm | Santa Anita
Please RSVP to Heather by November 30th
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Sunday, December 3
Team 1 Acolyting
Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
10 am| Sunday School Rooms
Children’s Sermon Sunday
Youth Group
5 – 7 pm
Please contact Heather if you would be willing to host
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Sunday, December 10
Team 2 Acolyting
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
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Sunday, December 18
Christmas Pageant
10 am | Sanctuary
All participants please arrive by 9 am
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Sunday, December 24
Please note that we will not be having Sunday School
Family Service
4:30 pm | The Main Sanctuary
Christmas Eve Service
9 pm with special music beginning at 8:30 pm | The Main Sanctuary
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Sunday, December 31
Please note that we will not be having Sunday School
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School Vacation Boredom Busters
Join us for something every day during Christmas Break
Tuesday, January 2
Discovery Cube
Including a possible trip to the Doc McStuffins Exhibit
$18 for Adults, $13 for kids
Wednesday, January 3
SKY ZONE
$11 for 30 minutes / $16 for 60 minutes / $21 for 90 minutes
Thursday, January 4
“Ferdinand” at the Santa Anita AMC
Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for kids
Friday, January 5
Pasadena Ice Skating Center
$11 entry, $4 skate rental
