Wait and Wonder 

God on Monday
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‘By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1.78-79). 

Reflection

I sang many wonder-filled lullabies over my small children when they were babies. As I did, I often imagined what kind of adults they would turn out to be, and what kind of world they would help create. Those songs helped soothe worries and fears during long, dark nights. They also made me mindful of those lacking the warmth and shelter we enjoyed. I remember longing for their justice and peace.

Longing was familiar to the priest Zechariah, who sang or spoke the words cited above. As he and his wife Elizabeth had suffered years of childlessness, he expressed pain as well as promise as he prophesied over his newborn son John the Baptist. His wonder followed his waiting. As Kelle Nikondeha has pointed out in her book The First Advent in Palestine, grief is ‘the seedbed for advent hope’.

The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth provides, therefore, a compelling invitation. It is to hold in one hand the longing and lament that emerges from life’s shadows; and with the other hand to reach for the hope of new life, which dispels shadows like the sun.

One Christmas I went to pick up a friend in my car. As I drove down one street, I saw the message ‘Jesus Loves You’ by some furniture that had been put out for anyone in need to take and use. In that moment I felt God’s gentle whisper: ‘This is where you find me’.

God is not glued to the manger in the nativity set but out there in our streets, in our society, in our work. God is in moments of kindness and connection in the spaces between people that exist because of our social differences. God’s love moves through the world in many quiet, joyful, selfless ways.

Every so often we catch a glimpse of this, as we wait and wonder, as we experience pain and promise. Through those glimpses, our vision, like that of Zechariah, can be renewed.

Response

Prayer

Loving God, thank you that we do not wait in vain. Your light dispels the darkness. May our work this week be filled with your wonder. Amen.

This Week's Author

God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the next Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up to Faith in Business here to receive each God on Monday instalment.    

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