“And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” Mark 13:37
As tumultuous life and world events entice us to sleep through the trauma, the climactic words ending Mark’s “little apocalypse” (Mark 13) exhort us to “Keep awake.” Advent begins with a call to be “woke” enough to see the signs of the advent of the Messiah in the very midst of personal, familial, local, national and global crises.
Advent begins with a holy longing, a desperate cry for God to “rend the heavens and come down,” (Isaiah 64:1) Standing between the ages, living in the confusing and conflicting reality of the already and not yet, we yearn for the arrival of the Messiah. “Come quickly, Lord Jesus,” we say. In Mark 13, the language seems to point to the so called second coming when Jesus brings the life of the age to come, the full expression of the new creation at the time of resurrection. But for now, it is December and Christmas is on our mind and we are looking for the baby in a manger.
Perhaps the opportunity this Advent season is to keep awake enough to see Jesus who is already here rather than sleeping until he comes again. The shepherds were startled awake and journeyed to the manger to see the baby that was born into this world. The wise men followed a star to see the toddler who was declared to be the “new king in town.” Joseph, awakened from dreams, followed divine guidance to protect the newborn king from King Herod’s murderous scheme. Mary kept awake to be the handmaiden of the Lord and to speak the prophetically woke words of the Magnificat. (Luke 1:46-55) And apparently John the Baptist was awake enough in the womb to kick for joy upon encountering the word made flesh still enfleshed in Mary’s womb.
Each of these stories are about humans seeking and encountering Jesus who is already here. I wonder if the “Keep awake” exhortation can direct our attention to the myriad of ways Jesus is already here rather than being blinded by difficulties that cause us to obsess about the ways he seems to be “not yet.” After all, John the Baptist leapt for joy, Mary exulted, Joseph protected and obeyed, the wise men brought gifts, the shepherds were amazed and glorified God. They celebrated the already arrival of Jesus even as there was so much “not yet” to come. As we long for the not yet of the life of the age to come, may we keep awake to see the transformative already of Immanuel, God with us through Jesus the Messiah.
by Rev. Tiger Pennington
Prayer
Let us pray: O Lord, deliver us from slumber and despair that we may keep awake to see your presence with us in the here and now even as await the new creation. Amen.