Dear Rose Park,
During this Holiday season, many families have various traditions. Some of these traditions may have been passed down from generation to generation; perhaps it’s singing “Silent Night” with your closest family members on Christmas Eve, sitting in front of the fireplace and hearing “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas”, or maybe even watching “Home Alone” or “Christmas Vacation” and laughing at all the scenes you’ve already watched a dozen times. In any case, the rhythm of traditions can be very meaningful to individuals and families during this Advent season.
One of the traditions I’ve began in my own life is reading through the book of Psalms. This has been fruitful in my relationship with God throughout the entire year but hearing the prayers of the church as we anticipate the coming of the Christ-child brings a special meaning to their words. With that being said, I want to share with you a Psalm from the Message translation of the bible. The Message is a bible translation done by biblical scholar, professor, and pastor Eugene Peterson. In his translation, Peterson puts the words of scripture in a more contemporary format leading to the common phrase “the laymen’s translation”. Here’s Psalm 131 from the Message:
God, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I don’t want to be the king of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content. Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always!
I haven’t fantasized grandiose plans…I’ve cultivated a quiet heart…wait with hope. The Psalmist reminds us in these powerful words to faithfully and quietly wait with hope. Of course, this is so much easier said than done, especially in a tumultuous year like 2020. Waiting is a difficult task for many of us; it might seem even more difficult because the time in between Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and his eventual return seems too long for us to wait with hope. Because in this in-between time violence runs wild in our country, poverty spreads without discrimination, viruses continue to evolve and multiply, bitterness and loneliness seem to sink deeper in our souls, and division continues to stretch out its’ arms creating a bigger chasm between us all.
But if we can wait with hope, we fill find ourselves just like the Psalmist…like a baby content in its mother’s arms. When we faithfully and quietly wait in hope we will find all our needs met in the providing arms of Christ. So, I’d encourage you to wait with us at Rose Park. Join us virtually, for Christmas Eve worship and surround yourself with a community who waits…because when we do, we’ll find ourselves like a baby content in its mother’s arms.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark