advent > what are we waiting on?
So, our waiting now is a liturgical waiting, a waiting of reminder. Our waiting now is also a mystical waiting, a waiting on the inside for God, for Jesus, for our Savior as the Holy Spirit gives Him to us, in many different ways. We hear this, perhaps, during Advent, that we are to be awaiting God as He will choose to enter our lives. I’m not sure we always get that though. It’s a little esoteric. Mystical things are like that – a little weird. God, to us, is a lot weird most of the time. He describes Himself in many ways in the Scriptures, using quite a number of analogies. None of them quite nail Him down – nailing God down, yeah, not going to happen. I’m convinced we will understand Him even as He understands Himself one day, but there’s a lot between then and now.
(Via alancreech.)
I just can’t leave alone one smart-ass comment… as Christians, don’t we believe God was nailed down at one time?
Okay, it’s worth reading Alan Creech’s whole post, but the paragraph I quoted above really stood out to me.
To a point, we can control our knowledge of God that is intellectual. It’s directly related to how much time we spend studying and the methods of our studying. However, it’s they mystical elements, those things which are “a little esoteric,” which are not so easy to control. We can enter the Advent season as just another holiday season to come and go, or we can wait on God in this mystical sense. We can use it as a time to commune with God in a unique way with a specific part of Jesus’ story.
These are the aspects of Spiritual Formation which are not as easy to control. Results will vary drastically.
I caution you to not assume, especially if you have more of an analytic brain, that this mystical waiting during advent does not do you any good. I challenge you to dig in and spend time meditating not on precepts or doctrines but on simple thoughts of God coming to earth as the man Jesus. I challenge you to not be frustrated and try to look for the simple, pat answers. The types of disciplines which stretch us and change us the most are those most uncomfortable.
So to take my own advice, I should now go do some in-depth study, since I am much more drawn to the mystical. There was a point when I was not so inclined, but that is definitely my preference for communing with God at this point in my life.
Thanks for the link Alan. I’m glad it was helpful fodder for thought. It’s definitely a balancing act. We are one person and we are made up of different “parts.” There are different ways that we can interact with God, all of them legitimate and needful. Study, written prayers, spontaneous prayer, meditation, etc. Good words on keeping the balance. Peace to you and happy Advent!
+ Alan
December 10th, 2007