Free From Free For

This season of Advent is about anticipating and actively waiting for the great celebration of Christmas, certainly. But in order for us to be free for celebrating Christmas in all its fullness, then it is imperative we make clear what we are being set free from as well.

The original Advent had a fella named John marching out of the desert and making the grand proclamation, “The realm of heaven is about to appear—so you’d better keep turning away from evil and turn back to God!”

John comes in hot, basically telling folks not to just simply decorate for the grand giddy up, but also clean up and renovate so there isn’t stink and stumbling when the raucous dancing begins.

People will come flooding to John acknowledging their waywardness, and so John offers a ritual or practice known as baptism, which looked like John dunking them in the Jordan River. This practice was an outward symbol or picture of a heart commitment they had made.

In the midst of all this dunking and dancing, a group of wealthy elite and religious superiors show up, leading John to turn the volume to 11, “But when he saw many coming from among the wealthy elite of Jewish society and many of the religious leaders known as Pharisees coming to witness the baptism, he began to denounce them, saying, ‘You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to slither away like snakes from the fire of God’s judgment?’ “

Whoa! John is letting them know in no uncertain terms that they can’t escape the fire just by getting wet.

Own the mess that has been made, and then make the necessary renovations so that your life doesn’t become kindling for a much larger fire.

Commit to participate in restoration rather than continuing in destruction.

That’s why Advent is an active waiting, because it has a dimension of preparing for what is to come by reviewing and renewing what was before.

I want this year, more than any other I can remember, to be viscerally and tangibly alive. And I’m guessing we all want a new script for a new year, correct? Then it’s crucial we review the screenplay that was 2020, and then make the needed edits and character adjustments, because crusty characters can monkey up the plot quickly.

And working off of John’s strong advice, let’s not just try and cover up a crap foundation or paint over moldy drywall, let’s go full Chip and Joanna Gaines on this project.

So, is that enough metaphors for you? Good, now let’s get ready for the sacred celebration!