Scripture: John 11:11
After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”
Thought for the Day: It is only two days before Christmas, and I am looking at a passage from the middle of Jesus’ ministry. That may not seem quite right in the chronology of the Christian year, but in light of our theme for this Advent Season, I am drawn to Jesus going to awaken Lazarus. Though Lazarus was dead, Jesus used the word associated with the act of awakening someone from sleep. Clearly death and sleep are not the same thing, though scripture does use sleep as a soft metaphor for the harsh reality of death. In the Christian walk, we can unknowingly lull ourselves into a so-called sleep. Suddenly we find ourselves no longer connected to our source of life and vitality, and without that connection, we begin to die. Maybe not a physical death, but the spirit begins to wither. The words of Jesus should resonate with us, for they are universal words:
I am going there to awaken them.
They could be God’s words spoken to creation as the Christ Child is born. God continues to find ways of entering our lives to awaken us to the life-giving gift of love. Awake! A child is to be born in our midst.
Prayer: Wake us up from our slumber, O God who was born among the stable animals. Wake us up so that we do not miss your gifts being born anew into this world. Amen.
CHRISTMAS EVE
Tomorrow Night
Brass Ensemble begins
playing at 10:30pm
