Our first praise of Advent starts at the beginning; reminding us of the eternal in this moment, of the stakes of the promise.
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it…The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world…So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. John 1
These words pull us back to the first written words of Scripture. “In the beginning”… In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And God said “Let there be light and there was light”. At the dawn of time, God is already there and He’s calling for light to fill the heaven and come down to earth. At the cusp of Advent, God is speaking those same words “Let there be light”. This time, the Source of Light Himself is coming from heaven to earth. His light will shine, not on physical creation, but in the hearts of men. The same words initiate the second creation – the rebirth of our souls awakened by a child’s cry in the night. God is made human; light clothes itself in flesh, and the world is remade as the Creator becomes the perfect creation.
The Word continues to speak into the darkness of our world and our lives. “Let there be”… Because Advent is not just a moment in history, but a process in each heart. It is the opening of our soul to God’s insistent call “let there be light”. In the dark places of our life, He offers light. In our despair, He offers hope: in our failing, He holds out grace. In our loneliness, He makes His home with us. And the miracle of Advent unfurls around us.
Blessings to you,
Sarah
anordinarymiracleday 