Advent 1

“Come Now!”

"O that you would tear open the heavens and come!" Thus opens this week's focus scripture from Isaiah, and thus opens our Advent journey, as our worship is deeply infused with the yearning of God's people for the presence and power of God to be known yet again. Distinct from the way the society around us now marks the pre-Christmas season, the more ancient Christian ways of observing Advent are filled not with artificially-glib happiness and concerningly-conspicuous consumption, but rather the pregnant yearning of watching, waiting, and ultimate hope. We look for a sign of the God who does "deeds that we did not expect," as we all pray and plead, “Come now!”