Advent musings week 1

I sit in my office today after a year of trying to get it ready. It needed to be emptied of my son’s bedroom furniture, the walls & ceiling needed some renovation work. I found around my house or bought on marketplace 5 bookcases that needed to be fixed up and painted. I built a wall to enclose the bookcases at the closet. I built shelving in the closet. I hung a cool chandelier. I moved in all my office furniture and equipment. And yet its not complete. I still have to trim out the bookcases to finish the built in look. There are boxes of books still to be shelved. There are many items to be organized into the closet, there is wall art to be hung and more. And there are plants that have to come in and be placed strategically to get good light. It won’t feel right until its all finished. In the meantime, it feels chaotic. I feel unsettled when I sit down to write because there is so much around me that needs to be done still. And yet, I write.
I have to accept the incompleteness for now. I have to trust that the time to do the work will come and that it will all be well. I have to live in the chaos as if it is already done because my words can’t wait.
It is like that for us as believers. Christ is coming again. The redemption of the world is not really finished. But Jesus did say “it is finished” at the cross. Because we can live in the chaos of this world as if its already done. Because for our hearts it is. He has redeemed us and freed us from the death and chaos of this world. But we have to live into this knowledge. We struggle constantly to keep the chaos of the world at bay. To not let it harden our hearts or break our hearts to a point where we forget who’s in control. The chaos sometimes is overwhelming but its not the whole story. The light of the world has come and for those of us who know that, the work is finished. We have to stay focused on His light to keep the darkness from closing in on us. In fact, we have to be so focused on him that the light shines for others. I say ‘have to’ not because it’s a rule we should follow but the difference between life and death. The light of life or the death of our souls and others. This is why the great commandment is to love God and our neighbour. Its in loving God that we love our neighbour. Truly love your neighbour by giving the gift of Jesus which comes when they see Him radiating in you.
Take some time today to rest in the fact that you are redeemed and your life is eternally whole and in His hands. Put aside the chaos and just rest in Jesus. Set a timer if that’s what it takes to stay focused, but just ask Jesus to fill your heart with peace and be quiet and still and wait. Do this each day of advent and see how the world’s troubles affect you less as Christmas comes.