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And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
And he will be the source of peace.
– Micah 5:4-5a
Leading up to Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph were not still.
They had been on the road from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem for the census because that’s where Joseph’s family was from. This was likely a four-day journey for them, and poor Mary was nearing the end of her pregnancy.
Movement, action, preparation…all preceding an act of love so mysteriously momentous that heaven cracked open with angels.
God’s act of love in sending His Son to earth as a vulnerable baby should leave us drop-jawed. Of all the ways He could have done it, this is not one we would choose. We would choose strength and might and probably a lot of noise. Not a pink-and-white bundle of neediness.
Advent anticipates this act of love, and while there are many beautiful practices we can use to prepare for this holy night, what if we chose to not be still?
What if we chose to move out and about in acts of love so simple they might be missed? And what if those acts of love were the very things someone needed to put one foot in front of the other, continue breathing in and out, and decide there was hope worth anticipating?
The 24 Days of Love Advent Calendar was made to give us simple ways of loving those around us during this season of anticipation. We can be on the move with the love of Jesus Christ. Feel free to do any of these at any time. There is no need to keep them in order or just one a day. You may have some ideas of your own.
Love rarely stands still. Love sees a need and meets it. Love does the dishes. Love shovels snow. Love picks up some extra groceries for a neighbor.
Love is almost always on the move.
Let’s anticipate God’s Christmas love for us by loving others this Advent. We would love to hear about it! Send us stories and pictures at [email protected].
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