Advent Devotionals - December 9th

Communion
“Jerusalem, haste thee, and stand on high: and behold the joy and gladness that cometh unto thee from God thy Savior”
 
It’s a vision we have all seen. A little boy filled with excitement runs through a crowded space. All he can see is the back of people’s knees as he advances. Eventually, the boy is stuck. He can no longer push through the vast number of people.

Disappointed, his head drops.

But then, he feels those familiar arms grab him by the armpits and lift him up. From his dad’s shoulders, he can see everything. The parade floats passing by. The confetti falling from the sky. Santa waving at him.

The boy did everything in his power to get to where he could see what he was most excited to see.

That is what the people of Jerusalem are called to in the Proper today. With haste, stand high so that the glory of God can be rejoiced in. We are called to do a similar thing. With haste we must stand on high. So that when our Lord returns, we can see His glory.

We as Christians are called to do everything we can so that we can be ready for Jesus. Just like the boy does everything he can to see the parade.

God has been made flesh. Salvation has been brought to us. God has saved his people. There is nothing more glad and joyful than what we see in this season. It truly is something that merits us to have the excitement of a child on Christmas morning.

However, we can’t do it all on our own. Just like the boy, the job at hand can be too much. It can get to a point where we just sit there hopeless.

But then, the comfortable hands grab us. God himself lifts us up and helps us achieve what we could not do on our own.

Only by the one that we wish to see are we able to see.

This advent season, we continue with haste to stand on high. By praying, meditating, and worship we prepare. So that we can behold the joy and gladness that comes to us from God, Jesus Christ – the infant child and the returning King.

Fr. Spencer Stubblefield