Exuberant Joy in Dark Days (blog)

I was out for a walk the other day when two little kids ran up to me to tell me all of their exciting news. They both talked at once, but the younger sister won out and her brother finally gave up the struggle. "My grandma and grandpa gave me these sneakers!" the little girl exclaimed, beaming up at me as I hurried to put a mask on before uttering my enthusiastic approval. "They help me run fast!" After a quick demonstration of her newfound speed, the little girl went on to show me how she could now also walk like a penguin (on her heels, with legs stiff and arms straight at her sides). I didn't think it was possible for a kid to be any more excited, but she proved me wrong when her face lit up even brighter with the biggest news of all - her impending birthday. "I'm going to be 4!" she declared, holding one hand up with all 5 fingers extended and then pressing one finger down with her other hand. Then she ran around in circles chanting, "My birthday is coming soon!" By "soon" she meant 3 months from now in March, her dad clarified, but that didn't matter to her. All she knew was that her birthday is in fact coming, and that gave her immediate and immeasurable joy. She didn't need the tangible rewards of its actual arrival - the balloons, presents and cake - to celebrate the promise that they were on the way. Calendar pages could only serve as a reminder of their imminent arrival as she focused not on the experience of time passing but on the assurance that her hope would soon be realized. This young girl's joy was so palpable that I couldn't help but share in it with her. And I was filled with awe at this unexpected and wonderful - and much needed - intrusion in what had been a sad and dreary day for me (the Lord still shows up in miraculous ways). She was a little, living example of the joy-while-waiting that God is calling us to in this season of Advent. Jesus Christ - Hope of the world, the Light of our lives, our King, our Counselor, our Prince of Peace, our Savior - our Joy - is coming soon! Born into our world, God with us, Jesus lived for our sake, died in our place and rose again to new life to set us free to celebrate - today and every day - the assurance of God's eternal love and forgiveness, and of Jesus' imminent return for us! I hope that we might remember my little friend's exuberance in the months ahead, and I pray that we will all be able to celebrate with her in our hearts come March (mark your calendars and say a prayer for her with me). The long winter will be nearly over then, some people will have been vaccinated, life may be slowly returning to what it was pre-pandemic.  But that will not be the reason for our joy. I hope and pray that each one of you will experience lasting and exuberant joy in Jesus, and share that joy with others, as you remember the story of our Savior's birth and as you look with expectant anticipation and wonderment to the day when he will come again in glory! "Behold, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:12)