Who are you Becoming?
In this season of Advent, we have explored the idea of becoming – the journey from being one thing to becoming another.
We saw the deity of Jesus become human.
We saw Mary become brave, Joseph become faithful, the shepherds become witnesses, and the magi become believers.
We saw how expectation, the hope of things longed for, transformed these players into the people God meant for them to be in his grand story of justice, redemption, and grace.
But what about you?
Do you see your role in the story yet? Do you see your place in the Kingdom?
Perhaps you’re in a place where you don’t want to become anything else. You’re comfortable. You have a routine down, and you don’t want anyone or anything messing with it. But ask yourself: Am I living for the kingdom? Have I already become who God wants me to be?
Perhaps the opposite is true. Maybe you’re in a dark place, begging to become someone or something else on the other side of whatever weariness is weighing you down.
Whether or not you can see it now, God is working on you. Regardless of your comfort in the process, he’s helping you become who you were meant to be, and this is a good thing! Scripture tells us this:
Philippians 1:6b (NIV)
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
God hasn’t forgotten you in the midst of struggle. He still sees you, and he will be faithful to finish the work he started. Take hold of that promise and use that faith in your own journey of becoming.
Perhaps one of my favorite pieces of scripture comes from the “love chapter” of 1 Corinthians, and helps to illustrate this idea of living in the expectant moment.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)
For now we see in a mirror dimly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Humanity has a way of dimming our eyes to our heavenly calling. Our flesh cries out for the things of this world. But we are called to something higher. God already knows how our story will turn out, but for now, we can only see a glimpse – an image in a dim mirror – of who we are to God.
At the beginning of this story – of our story – the world was weary. The world and its people were calling out for a savior. In the middle of the story, Jesus came, and the weary world rejoiced. The long expected savior had finally arrived, bringing peace, grace, and the offer of salvation to all. He lived a perfect life, and then took the weight of the world’s sin on himself so that we may experience redemption with God.
At the end of the story, God will reign victorious and we will forever get to experience his presence because of Christ’s love and sacrifice. In the meantime, we get to continue rejoicing because of what Christ did for us on the cross. We get to face the weariness of the world head-on, and we are even called to do so! Right before his crucifixion, Jesus encouraged his disciples in this matter.
John 16:33 (NIV)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In this world, we can expect trouble. We can expect weariness. But we don’t have to let it keep us from becoming who we are meant to be in the kingdom of God. Because we know the final score. We know Jesus is coming back. We are living in another advent – another season of expectation where we’re waiting for Jesus to come again and claim the final victory.
Our charge, our mission, is to take what we know of Jesus out into the world. You don’t have to have a seminary education (or any education) to share what you know. Share what you’ve seen of the transformative power of the gospel in your own life. Share the fact that you’re living in your own journey of becoming who God wants you to be, and that God is inviting all of us on that same journey. None of us is perfect. Our paths may not look the same. Certainly, some of us will experience more weariness than others. But at the end of our weariness, there is rejoicing. There is Jesus.
So share what you know, and don’t let the message of Christmas stop with December 25th (or even January 6th, for you church calendar sticklers). Keep the spirit of advent with you because, rest assured, we are living in the second advent. While the world is weary, we can rejoice because we know the end of the story – we’re just waiting for the author’s last line.
Becoming generous
weekly family activity - Reflection
Each week of this Advent season your family has an opportunity to grow in its generosity.
This week is a time of reflection. Gather your family and a Bible and read through the story of the first Christmas found in Luke 2:1-20. God demonstrated the generosity of his character by giving us his only son, Jesus. Discuss what your favorite generosity activity has been during this advent season. A generous heart is something that we can cultivate year-round. Where can you add more opportunities for generosity into your lives?
To follow along with this study, mark your calendars for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in these weeks leading up to Christmas. Each post will be hosted here. If what you’re learning is meaningful to you, click one of the share buttons at the top of these posts to invite more people on this journey of becoming.
We also invite you to spend Sunday mornings with us to hear what the pastors have to share with us during this season. Services start at 9:30 and 11:15am each week. See you there!
Weekly Reading - Dec 23-27
Monday Isaiah 7:14
Tuesday Luke 2:21-40
Wednesday Galatians 4:4-5
Thursday 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Friday Titus 3:3-7