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Desert Blooms Isaiah 35:1 – 10; Matthew 1:18 – 25 Living in New York, I walked between my home and the church – about 10 blocks. It was a wonderful walk on a sunny day. However, the first time I had an evening meeting at the church, I vividly remember racing through the meeting trying to beat the impending darkness. Failing to do so, I was terror-struck. I was not about to begin taking cabs for a 10-block distance. No one in the meeting had a car, nor were they walking my way. Walking swiftly, I held my breath the entire time (or so it seemed)…got inside my house and determined there were two choices: 1) leave New York immediately or 2) get over the fear. Having lived in cities most of my life, and even having survived an assault, I was fairly surprised at the fear that seem to envelope me. Fear is not rational – but it is real. Although most of us are legitimately frightened of others hurting us, my fear that evening in New York (as I unwound it) was that I wasn’t smart enough or savvy enough to live in that city. Many of us fear aging or disability – legitimately. The prophet alludes to weak knees, feeble hands, blindness, deafness, lameness and speechlessness. All of those impede what we would want to be – and to do having our bodies fully functioning. Some of us fear loneliness – desiring, but not finding a true love that will support and cherish us as no other. We also fear that our talents and gifts will not be appreciated…and that we will flutter about “searching” our entire lives. Fear creeps into our lives in many different ways and angles. And so it is difficult to imagine the time when there will be no fear, but that is exactly what the prophet is setting up for us today. The other image of this prophecy is the ‘highway’. We are so used to highways, we might have difficulty interpreting the astounding idea this was. A highway without danger was an amazing concept for Isaiah’s first listeners. Journey is a very familiar term used to describe how we meander through life – where we go through hills and valleys, ups and downs – but highway usually means a direct route and a fast way to get somewhere. Highways are the arteries of any civilization. They always take us somewhere…they are certainly NOT for meandering. In this case, the prophet is saying the highway will take us safely home – the place where there will be rejoicing…no sadness…no sorrow…not even sighing. The message of Advent is this: God can break through our lives and provide time of no fear and a highway that we can traverse to get there. That indeed is the gift of Christmas – the receiving of Jesus Christ into our lives. But in order to receive it…in order to even see and understand it…we have to be ready. Readiness and preparation IS the work of this season. Before traveling to Jerusalem a woman knew that she was seeking a clearer face of God – as she ventured into the Holy land. This was the gift she was asking of God that Christmas. One day she and three others contemplated walking up the Massadah. The others were much more physically fit than she was and so she decided to stay behind. “No,” said the most fit, “I will help you.” “OK” she replied. Then the three surged up the trek leaving the woman to walk carefully on her own. About one-third the way up, the woman knew she could go no further and so decided to turn and go back down. It was then she realized the path was too slippery, and her shoes wouldn’t have been able to hold her. Absolutely paralyzed in fear, she couldn’t even speak. The one who had promised to help, turned from her perch much higher up, saw her dilemma, came back, took her to the top – step by step – encouraging her out of the terror that had gripped her. He was such a good climber that he probably could have broken the climbing time record – had he not turned to see her dilemma. After she could speak, she explained to him her request of God – to see God’s face more clearly – and indeed, she had – in the face of her friend. What are we asking of God this Christmas? What gift is there – that God could give? If we believe the Gospel, there will always be radical reversals in our lives - where the blind see…the lame walk…the deaf hear…the dead are raised…fears subside…and the desert blooms. Which ones don’t we believe? Which ones won’t we believe? Which ones can’t we believe? Dry and sandy deserts offer about as much hope and joy as some people believe they have in their lives – slim to none. And yet for those who have been privileged to visit the desert at the right time – the spectacular display of blooms that fill a desert is almost mind boggling – unbelievable! Pepita was the name of the poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ child at Christmas Eve Services. As she walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. “I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in God’s eyes” Pedro consoled. Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought tears as she entered the chapel. Then she remembered her cousin’s words “even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in God’s eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet of weeds at the foot of the nativity. Suddenly the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who witnessed this considered it a Christmas miracle. And so it is that these Mexican flowers are called Flowers of the Holy Night. (Paul Ecke Ranch) Was the miracle that the blossoms turned red, or that the child realized her gift would be cherished by God…or both? As we get closer to presenting ourselves at the manger – the birth bed of Jesus Christ – and are wondering what gift we have to give may we also be considering what gift we desire, long for from God. The season of waiting gives us that time for consideration. It provides the time of preparation. It allows us opportunity to claim an expectation. Lame walking…dead rising…deserts blooming…lives being changed…Love blossoming…fear subsiding…hope being renewed…challenges not being over-bearing…What is it we can believe? What is it we do believe? What is it we will believe? On this Sunday of JOY, may you identify the gift for which you are yearning from God – so the gift you will bring to Christmas will reflect your whole, beloved self – as an offering to Christ Jesus, the Lord of Life. • SW |
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