Advent Devotion: Micah 4:1–5

Micah 4:1-5, by Yena Hwang

I long for this day.

The day, when people of various nations with various backgrounds and ideologies come together, desiring to learn God’s ways and walk in God’s paths.

I long for this day.

The day, when swords and other weapons used for destruction are transformed into tools for creating, building, nurturing, and fostering growth.

I long for this day.

The day, when nations will not engage in warring ways, but in the ways of cooperation and interdependence and peace.

I long for the day.

The day, when all the people will recognize God I Am, God with Us, God of the Creation, God of the Oppressed, God of All, God of Love and Mercy - and choose to walk alongside the Creation, the Oppressed, and All peoples of God.

I long for the day, when our eyes will open to the ways we have destroyed the image of God in us, with our own hands and hearts, by our warring ways.  I long for the day when we choose to give up our destructive ways, and choose the way of our God.

That is what Advent means for me.  Not only in the days leading up to the Christ, the God-child, coming to us as a newborn in Bethlehem, but in my every day, I wait.  I am actively waiting for the coming of this day, where all will see the glory of God.  Not passively waiting for someone and something to usher in this day, but actively waiting - stirring, agitating, proclaiming the truth, preaching the Gospel, walking alongside those who are on this path, inspiring others to choose this path, steady at times, stumbling at other times, confessing and repenting failures along the way - to co-create the kind of days Micah promises.  My circles of influence are small, but I will do what I can as I sojourn here in these days - traveling and working towards to co-create those days of Micah’s prophesied about.

We are sojourners of these days, journeying towards those days.

Because we are on this journey together, we each carry a light to shed along our rugged path.  You, members of FPC, are one of those signs of light for me and for that I am grateful.

Actively waiting,

Yena