During Advent we look forward to experiencing the presence of God in an entirely new way, never before known in history.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher
God feels pity for the crowds of people on earth. He sees that we are like sheep without a shepherd. Without the presence of the shepherd we are troubled and abandoned. We wander a stray. This pity moves God to become present to us in the person of Jesus Christ. The presence of God is no longer hidden behind the veil of the temple to be seen only by the high priest once a year. The presence of God is now visible to the world. We can look on him with our own eyes.
Jesus comes to us so that we can see him and follow him. From him we receive the Spirit. The presence of God fills us in the most profound way. We experience being surrounded by, consumed by, and filled with the presence of God.
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
"This is the way; walk in it,"
when you would turn to the right or to the left.
This is not simply what happened once when Jesus walked the earth. This is that to which we look forward with joyful hope this year. The grace of Christmas makes this experience present to us are willing to welcome it.
We need the LORD's presence. He answers with the bread we need and the water of life for which we thirst. He answers with Eucharist and Spirit to fulfill our desire for the presence of God. He sees our wounds and is not content to remain in any way distant from us.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
Once the presence of God fills us we should be moved by the same pity which he feels for us when we see the need of others.
The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
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