{"id":8491,"date":"2003-12-18T23:18:51","date_gmt":"2003-12-19T04:18:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=8491"},"modified":"2011-07-06T08:28:10","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T13:28:10","slug":"3410","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2003\/12\/18\/3410\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent Devotion: ‘Imperfect Perfection’"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (December 18, 2003)\u00a0 – Covenant Communications has posted several Advent devotionals taken from church newsletters and emails. This one is\u00a0 from pastor Kyle Small at Excelsior Covenant Church in Excelsior,\u00a0 Minnesota.<\/em><\/p>\n

When I think of Advent, I immediately think back to days at Augustana\u00a0 College as my friend would sing “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” She\u00a0 would walk from the back of the chapel to the front chanting in her\u00a0 unbelievable soprano voice this simple, perfect introit. The nave filled\u00a0 with her melodious outburst of Messianic glory. The phrase continued over and over in perfect fashion. All I could do was sit and breathe in\u00a0 as my friend sang to God with all she had. It was perfect.<\/p>\n
Advent always seems to be the “perfect” season. The cold gathers a\u00a0 family around the hearth. Christmas lights offer a fresh accent to\u00a0 neighborhoods. The amount of chocolate and goodies is perfect for\u00a0 everyone. The hustle and bustle of shopping is energizing and friendly\u00a0 (not really, but at least a goal). We work hard to make Advent and Christmas perfect. Even the way we tell the Christmas story makes it\u00a0 perfect.<\/p>\n
The story takes place in a quaint little town called Bethlehem. Young\u00a0 Mary and Joseph have a romantic ride on a donkey and eventually a\u00a0 newborn babe arrives on a snow-packed Christmas morning dressed in\u00a0 freshly pressed swaddling clothes. Just after mom and dad cry in joy at\u00a0 this beautiful baby, visitors arrive. Visits from fresh-scented shepherds, radiant angels and, eventually, adorned wise men all gather\u00a0 around fluffy, cuddly animals like camels, sheep, goats and cattle. What\u00a0 a perfect morning to celebrate the newborn baby. Picture perfect.<\/p>\n
But if we take some time to re-imagine the story, it might look a little\u00a0 bit different. An unwed mother conceiving a child has to be taken to\u00a0 Bethlehem by a fianc\u00e9 who sacrifices his reputation to save Mary’s\u00a0 character, all because a king is in need of some cash. If this isn’t\u00a0 enough, once they arrive at their destination, their holiday suite is a\u00a0 barnyard. And, just at the right moment, Mary turns over to the horse\u00a0 trough to deliver their first-born son.<\/p>\n
Soon after the mess of birth is cleaned up from the barn floor, visitors\u00a0 arrive. Shepherds, minding their own business, were “watching their\u00a0 flocks by night” when out of thin air a bright light appears and freaks\u00a0 out the simple lamb lovers. An angel appears from behind the light and\u00a0 tells them some crazy story about “good tidings of great joy.” (Writer’s note: By the way, shepherds usually refrain from using big words like\u00a0 “tidings.”)<\/p>\n
The angel then directs the shepherds from their duties up the hill to a\u00a0 baby wrapped in “swaddling” clothes. (Writer’s note: oh, eloquent\u00a0 angels, define “swaddling.”) The shepherds agree to go to Bethlehem and\u00a0 they tear away in haste, carelessly leaving their animals behind in\u00a0 order to see this spectacle. Juvenile boys running to see a baby . . . does this sound like your high schoolers?<\/p>\n
A re-imagined picture of Advent loses its currently perfect glamour.\u00a0 “Unwed Couple Visited By Low-Class Shepherds” doesn’t have the same\u00a0 image as the often-depicted nativity scene. Yet its perfection does not\u00a0 change. If this story happens tomorrow, just as it did over 2,000 years\u00a0 ago, “perfect” would not be how we would describe the event. Yet in its\u00a0 imperfection, it is wholly perfect. The miracle happens in the reality\u00a0 of life, and life is messy.<\/p>\n
This Advent, prepare for the coming of the Lord while reflecting on the\u00a0 messy things in life. This Advent, imperfection will happen. The turkey\u00a0 will be dry, the cleaning will be never-ending. Christmas cards will go\u00a0 unfinished and finances will seem out of control. The season will not be\u00a0 picture perfect as we envision it. Yet the good news is that Jesus did\u00a0 not arrive in a picture perfect manner either. The Advent colors of blue\u00a0 and purple – symbolizing Jesus’ kingship – are soiled in the\u00a0 less-than-royal stable. Prepare for the coming of the Lord anyway, not\u00a0 through the hurry of perfection, but through the ordinariness of\u00a0 imperfection. Re-imagine your life circumstance and celebrate the good news contained within. Prepare in the mess!<\/p>\n
To read devotionals posted earlier, visit the following:<\/p>\n