Saturday, December 14, 2019

Haggai 2:1 – 9 

Psalm 30, 32

Revelation 3: 1 – 6 

Matthew 24: 1 – 14 

Haggai the prophet hears the voice of God concerning the new temple.  Overnight, David’s weeping turns to joy; he hears God saying to him “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go…counsel you and watch over you”.   John urges the people of Sardis to “wake up and strengthen what (they) still have before it dies completely”.  Jesus’ response to the disciples’ questions – “beware that no-one leads you astray” – precedes a list of what sounds much like our current events. He states “this is routine history…No sign of the end…stay with it”.

Reading the four translations that I have from NRSV, NIV, The Message and Good News did not immediately prompt me with “divine light” as I couldn’t even see the words.  As I read through Psalm 30 again, perhaps with a more open and receptive mind - a glimmer?  A “light” flickered – a “bright” thought, an insight? I went back and read the passages again…and again.

I wonder…In order to have or experience “insight” into or about something or someone, is it a form of “divine light” that puts a different glow on our openness to the situation, shape or object?  Sounds rather simplistic…but is it?

In this season of Advent we have the opportunity to be open to let the divine light of insight come into familiar and even old ideas and experience them anew.  May God help us to leave our receiver switch “on”!

Mary L. (Bunny) Stewart