Sunday 27 November 2022

Psalm 122

Background

As the passage says, no one knows when the the Lord will reappear. It follows then that all of Jesus’ followers need to be watchful, prepared and ready to engage. It is a message that is reinforced a few verses later in Matthew 25:1-13 which tells the parable of the bridesmaids, some of whom were prepared with oil in their lamps and others were not.

The reference to Noah in verse 37 is  a warning to the complacent. Noah prepared his Ark when all seemed calm, and reaped the rewards when the great storm came. So, Jesus is telling his hearers not to be complacent, but to get the basics right. These are, as Jesus is regularly quoted in the gospels, the two commandments which are key to living a life of faith: love God; and love your neighbour as you love yourself.

However, what are we expected to look out for as Jesus returns? What will the second coming of Jesus entail? Will there be any sense of recognition of Jesus before the apparently inevitable judgement comes? Charles Wesley in his hymn 'Lo, he comes with clouds descending' (StF 177) clearly imagined his coming 'with clouds descending' and thousands of saints in attendance.

Some people wonder if we are missing the point altogether. If the living God is among us, then the message is incarnated in the birth of Jesus (Emmanuel) and his resurrection; the message is that God wants to live with us. Perhaps we are looking for a second coming that is already a reality. Could it be that the judgement is the daily reality that the followers of Jesus acknowledge with prayers of confession and assurances of forgiveness?

Advent is an annual reminder that we need to be watchful for the light to guide us; and also a reminder that the light, however small it may appear, is already among us if we use all our senses to discern God's presence in our everyday lives. So, whatever our understanding of the second coming, let’s keep watch today and every day. There can be no room for complacency.

To Ponder:

• During this day, look out for the signs of the Kingdom of God. Give thanks for those occasions when people have embodied God’s love, joy and peace, and brought the light of Christ into your life.
• Google 'Lo, he comes with clouds descending' or find it in Singing the Faith (177). Read the words and ponder the themes of God’s majesty and living among us. It is a wonderful hymn to begin this Advent season, imploring, 'Come, Lord Jesus! Everlasting God, come down!'