Advent 2020: Waiting on Joy

 We are about two weeks away from Christmas! Are we ready? Have we experienced hope as we intentionally take time to reflect on the season? This week’s advent focus is joy.

Eugene Peterson says “Joy is nurtured by anticipation.”

The third Sunday of Advent marks a shift away from the solemn tone of the previous two Sundays to a more joyous atmosphere of anticipation and expectancy. The third candle we light on the Advent wreath reminds us that our waiting is almost over, and we can hardly contain our joy.

This is the joy candle because “The LORD had done great things for us; we were joyful.” (Psalm 126:3). The coming of Jesus our Savior and Lord gives us joy. 

Psalm 126:1-6 "When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Our mouths were filled with laughter then, and our tongues with shouts of joy. Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD had done great things for us; we were joyful. Restore our fortunes, LORD, like watercourses in the wilderness. Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves."

This Psalm starts out with the exiles rejoicing. They had experienced deliverance and blessing from God, and they were almost giddy with joy! We all like living in the times when we feel the blessing of God’s provision and our hearts respond with praise. Of course, the Psalm doesn’t stop there, and neither does real life. Verse four reminds us of the need for restoration. No matter how much we enjoy God’s goodness in this life, we know that this isn’t all there is. This life has areas that aren’t “restored”, that aren’t as they should be. There will be times when "joy" will not be the primary focus of life. Nonetheless, for the Christian, Advent finds us thinking about and waiting for that promised joy, that restoration, that day when all things will be as they were "meant to be." 

This Psalm talks about dry times, it mentions wilderness times, it reminds us that we have to wait for some things. Like a farmer who sows seeds, we must persevere in doing what we must do, but we must also wait for growth, for watering, for refreshing. Two water images are found here—the gushing forth of mighty streams in the wilderness, and the patient ongoing work that sometimes requires tears.

Jesus had a time of tears, and Scripture reminds us that his time of sorrow also produced great joy. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that we should “keep our eyes on Jesus, the source and completion of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne.” We must remember that Jesus was born to die, that he was born (as the prophet reminds us) as a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”. Yet he faced the cross, this grim situation, with joy. Jesus looked beyond the cross to a joy that was ahead of him. He faced death and suffering with joy. 

What was that joy? Maybe it is the development and growth of his Bride, the Church. Jesus knew his sorrow and suffering would reap a beautiful crop of restored lives and renewed relationships with God. He saw joy in spite of the hard times. His suffering provided the greatest reason for rejoicing—as he gave his life as a ransom for our sins, he provided for us the opportunity to be adopted as children of God. Jesus rejoiced at the hard situation that faced him, for he knew that God had promised to bring joy through his sorrow, to bring life to the dead.

So it is in our lives. We may enter this Advent season with heavy hearts. We may be weary from the problems we face, or we may be overwhelmed with circumstances beyond our control. We may feel like exiles far away from our beloved home, the place were we belong. Isolated, alone, and maybe a little anxious we find this Advent a bit of a chore instead of a joy. Life isn't what we expected. We may find ourselves laboring, sowing seed with tears, and enduring hardship while looking forward to a future harvest. 

On the other hand, we may find ourselves enjoying the presence and the joy of our Lord. We may be in a season of restoration where God is making all things new and pointing to the promise of his kingdom: that future kingdom of love and peace where full fellowship with God is restored and all will be brightness and life. We may be enjoying God's abundant presence even in our often desolate lives. We realize we are not alone, that God is indeed with us! 

We all may have that hope, even if we aren’t always living in the joy of that kingdom.

As we enter this season of Advent, we may be living in both parts of Psalm 126.  Hearts overflowing with God’s provision and goodness—but still crying out for restoration in some darker areas of our lives. Take heart! There is still reason to rejoice! We may be facing an overwhelming flood of problems, but the promise of God’s kingdom is still true despite our circumstances.  Rejoice! There may be a slow, seed planting season that is watered by our tears and prayers. If so, stay in the field. Persevere. Plant and water. Because even the lone farmer sees his harvest and will break into song. This is a season to celebrate joy.  

Let us not hurry our lives through Advent. Let us be patient with the in-between and "not yets" in our lives. Let’s praise God for the goodness flooding us and plant seeds in the barren spots.  As we enter the season of Advent, let us look forward with hope, love, and joy. Let us take a moment to rejoice over those things God has done and will do. As Paul reminds us, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. 

Thanks for reading!