Advent – The Improbable Story of Faith

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

The improbable story of faith is more often born in the darkness and silence of life than in the light of certainty. The bright light of day allows you to see what is ahead to walk confidently forward. When the darkness comes and you see only dimly, your walk grows timid and shaky. Where am I going? What’s before me? You begin walking carefully, avoiding bumping into the wall or reaching out to find something familiar to hold onto. Spiritual faith is often walking in the darkness and silence of life, yet boldly reaching out to hold onto the promises and presence of God. Advent is the improbable story of faith.

The Vow of Silence has been part of numerous religious orders through the centuries. Though few orders require complete silence, they do encourage limited engagement. The story is told of a young man who wanted to become a monk and was accepted into the monastery. The abbot told the man, “You must take a vow of silence and can only say two words every three years.” The man agreed. After the first three years, the abbot came to him and said, “What are your two words?” “Food cold!” the man replied. The abbot made sure the meals were not cold. Three more years passed, and the abbot came to him and said, “What are your two words?” “Robe dirty!” the man exclaimed. The abbot ordered his robe to be washed. Three more years passed, and the abbot came to him and said, “What are your two words?” “Bed hard!” The abbot made sure the mattress got re-stuffed. Three more years passed, and the abbot came to him and said, “What are your two words?” “I quit!” said the man. “Well,” the abbot replied, “I’m not surprised, you’ve done nothing but complain since you got here!” (Jokes by BabaMail)

Malachi ends with the promise and warning that “I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi 4:5-6) Then the pages of the First Testament are closed and the silence begins. Often called the 400 years of silence as there were no prophets to speak for God, no kings to lead them, and no word of the coming Messiah. Yet the people, generation after generation, stayed faithful and hopeful. These faithful followers would keep the law, offer daily prayers, and observe the Sabbath.

However, far from silence, God was busy preparing the stage for His coming. “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” (Gal 4:4-5) “During these four hundred years, many aspects of the Jewish culture of the New Testament were established. Palestine was strongly influenced by the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. This helped make the world more ready for the Messiah.” (African Study Bible)

When darkness seems to hide his face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the vale.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand. (Edward Mote)

These words from Edward Mote capture well the darkness yet give the hope we have in Jesus. Written in the 1800s, the song, The Solid Rock, may not be your normal Christmas Carroll unless you have lived through years of silence and darkness. Somehow the words express the hope of Advent in this season of waiting and looking. The improbable story of faith becomes probable because of God’s promises as we see the faint light of faith growing deeper and richer each day as we move toward the coming of Jesus.

Advent – the improbable story of faith became real after countless generations when an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah. God saw in an aging, childless couple the faith and hope needed to set His story into motion. Elizabeth and Zechariah’s faith had stayed strong because of the one they were holding onto in the darkness. This unlikely couple, chosen to be part of the coming Messiah, “He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16-17)

Advent – the improbable story of faith became real for an old man simply described as righteous and devout. Simeon had held onto faith that God’s story of redemption would happen and as he held Jesus’ tiny body in his arms, he offered his prayer of praise over the baby. Words that he may have been writing for years in his mind and finally the day came when he could recite them over Jesus. “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)

Faith is improbable only when we stop walking where God is going. Mary and Joseph were given only enough details to move forward. They didn’t have all the details, only enough. The most important detail was simply they had the name of Jesus. God took care of the divine element but as Greg Laurie writes, “the very human element began with a godly young girl who looked into the face of impossibility and said, “Whatever you want, LORD, that’s what I will do.”

Advent—the improbable story of faith is never improbable because of Jesus. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” (Hebrews 11:1-2)

God is great!