The theme for this Advent season at Lakewood United Church of Christ is JOY to the World. Each day during the Advent season, a reflection on a scripture passage related to JOY will be posted. We hope these daily reflections help you to have a joy-filled Advent.
“Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, doesn’t leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and search for the lost one until it’s found? And finding it, you put the sheep on your shoulders in jubilation. Once home, you invite friends and neighbors in and say to them, ‘Rejoice with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
“What householder, who has ten silver pieces and loses one, doesn’t light a lamp and sweep the house in a diligent search until she finds what she had lost? And when it is found, the householder calls in her friends and neighbors and says, ‘Rejoice with me! I’ve found the silver piece I lost!’ I tell you, there will be the same kind of joy before the angels of God over one repentant sinner.”
Luke 15:4-10
When we think of someone who is happy, who has a good life, maybe we are thinking about someone who has not screwed her/his life up. We may think of people who have done things right. People who have not had a lot of big problems or heart ache or trouble. If this were the prerequisite for joy, we could hardly sing, “Joy to the world” with much gusto because, truly, most people, most of us, have faced hardship and problems in life, largely of our own making.
Centuries ago, in the church Advent was referred to as the “little Lent.” Lent is the season of 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays. It is a somber season of repentance – returning to God. Advent, the season beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas and lasting four weeks was also a time of repentance. It was a time to spiritually cleanse and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It was also a somber, reflective time.
These days, we don’t put as much stress on repentance in Advent. We think more about watching and waiting and paying attention so that we appreciate the gift we are given at Christmas. But the stories above tell us that repentance and joy go together. Having made a mistake, taken the wrong path, having strayed from God, having drifted from the values of the Gospel, these things do not prevent joy. Our wrongs do not permanently deprive us of joy. In fact, coming around, finding our way back, making things right, this is the source of the greatest joy we can know.
It can be easy to fall into groveling in a sense of unworthiness, despair, and self-pity. Maybe you can think of a time you have felt that way. But Advent is a season of JOY. And repenting, turning in a new direction, pursuing reconciliation may be the greatest joy we can know.
To bring more joy to yourself, to God, and to the world, may take some repenting. Do not be afraid. Greater joy awaits! Take some time to think about how you may more closely align your life with the way of Jesus Christ. Can you make a commitment to pursuing transformation and change in your life? Ultimately, this kind of repentance will result in greater joy.
Prayer
We pray for the openness to admit our wrongs, our failings, our mistakes, and our weakness. May our vulnerability and honesty lead to the healing of our souls. May we not be afraid to repent, for with repentance comes great JOY. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 