Suggested Readings: Psalm 79; Micah 4:6-13; Revelation 18:1-10
Psalm 79 is a psalm for ancient Jerusalem and for today. After describing how his world had become a place of violence and unholiness, the psalmist calls out, “How long, O Lord?”
This is a good place to begin thinking about Advent. Advent is a joyous time of waiting for Christmas and enjoying chocolate from our Advent calendars, but it is also a penitential season of repentance and self-reflection. In some traditions, Advent is a time of fasting similar to Lent.
In Advent, we ask, “How long, O Lord?” How long until wars cease? How long until cities are safe? How long until the poor and homeless are cared for? How long until the earth stops warming? How long until Jesus’s return?
The psalmist cries out to God, “let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.” And we too know the experience of being brought low – when we watch the nightly news; when we see our neighbors struggle; and when we feel personally hopeless.
But Advent is a season of both repentance and hope. We long for God’s compassion, and sometimes God uses us to bring compassion to our world. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. There are ways for you to help that offer hope in a world that desperately needs it.
What might those ways be? How can you bring God’s compassion to your world? Your city? Your neighborhood? Your family?
Ann Coble
