Resolve. Restore. Redeem… advent four

Here we are in the fourth Sunday and final days of Advent. The gospel reading for today shares the story from Matthew of how Mary was found with child from the Holy Spirit and how Joseph had resolved to dismiss her quietly. He was going to be gracious and kind and not make a big spectacle of it, but he was going to let her go- unwed pregnant teen to defend for herself in a world where women had no rights at all.

But just as he had resolved to do this, Matthew continues, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
In this dream I believe God is doing what Isaiah calls out for “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance (your support for us), and we shall be saved.” I believe God came to Joseph in his dream to move him from resolved to restored. He restored His Divine wisdom within Joseph so that Joseph could clearly discern the next right thing in his life which was marrying Mary.

Have you ever had a dream like this where you wake up in the morning and just “know” the next right thing in your life? It might be scary or risky. People may not understand; they may even advise you not to do it. And, yet, you just know: “For whatever reason this is the next right thing.” And, you wake up and move the next right thing forward. Well, this is what Joseph does. Joseph seems to have an open heart. His heart is so open and receptive to the Divine voice, wisdom, and truth he can have a dream and wake up and do exactly what he resolved not to do. God’s voice, wisdom, and truth restore us to wholeness in and with God. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance (your support for us), and we shall be saved.” God saves Joseph from the way he was going to turn away from God’s plan and saves him by restoring him to God’s will.

I don’t know how Joseph became so open to hearing the voice of God in his dreams. Clearly he had some practice, some prior knowledge of discerning God’s voice from other voices in his mind, life and dreams. Otherwise he wouldn’t have woken up and moved so swiftly with God’s plan which again was so very different from his own resolve. As Christians we are called to discern the voice, wisdom and truth of God within our hearts, our midsts, our relationships and world. Just like we get to know other voices in our lives, it takes time, energy, practice, and patience to discern the voice of God. We have to spend time with God.

The collect for Advent 4 reads: “Purify our conscious, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself.” Not a manger, not a room, not a house, A MANSION. How do you prepare a mansion in your heart, your being, your life for a loving God to land in? When our Almighty God makes his daily visitation is there any room to BE WITH US?

The prophet Isaiah was clear that the Lord Himself will give a sign that a young woman will be with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Emmanuel meaning GOD IS WITH US. Is there any room in the mansion of our hearts, our beings, our lives? I think so many of us yearn for more room for God in our lives. We would love nothing more than to have Chip and Joanna Gaines restore our tiny apartment for Jesus into a mansion. But, we can’t get past the barriers of our very real, demanding, full lives. We resolve ourselves that this is the best we can do. We may even cry out in times of pain and need, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.” But, would we know if God was offering restoration in our dreams? Could we tell if God was showing the light of his support? Would we recognize a sign if God sent one? Would we know if God was with us and guiding us?

The more we prepare a mansion in our hearts, the easier it is receive God’s daily visitations. God has a place to land within us and share His voice, wisdom and truth. So that when we resolve ourselves to move outside the flow of God’s will, God can restore us to wholeness in Him, restore us to the holy flow. Our lives are restored to God’s will rather than the pursuit of our own will. God redeems our lives by our openness, our willingness to continually restore us to Him from our own resolve.

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; in our resolve show the light of your countenance, and we shall be redeemed. Amen.

You can find a 12 minute meditation on Mindful Christians podcast entitled Resolve. Restore. Redeem. Use it as often as you wish. This meditation is a practice of grounding and centering in the present moment mindful of allowing God’s loving kindness to restore and redeem whatever is happening in your life today.

Blessings on your fourth week of Advent. Caroline