It is December again. The cyclical calendar makes December a natural time for drawing things to a close and looking back over what has made up the past year while beginning to turn and look ahead to what may be awaiting in the New Year. It is also advent - a time, in the Christian tradition, of waiting, expectation and reflection on the meaning of the Christmas season and the events of a story that is a fundamental building block of Christian faith. Advent is a time to reflect on that story and relate to it in our current contexts so that we can take part in a meaningful way in the outpouring of joy on the world that continues to take place through God’s ceaseless expressions of love and grace.
This year the Mennonite Church had a theme for the advent season entitled “Flood of Mercy”. The idea behind this theme was to spend the season reflecting on the water imagery in the seasonal scriptures and pondering the nature of God to both comfort and disturb. To help visually set a scene for this worship theme I created the banner below of two swirls of water pouring down upon an empty and waiting stable.
In these swirls I see movement, comfort, and agitation. I look at them as a physical manifestation of God’s activity in our lives. It is constantly present and available to us if we seek it and let it be poured into our lives. It will sweep us up and carry us along when we need to be moved. It will prod us to action, or at least gently wear us down, when we try to stand still in the middle of the current. And, when needed, it pulls us close to the center and cocoons us in a still embrace in the midst of turbulence. God’s energy is present and always active in meeting us where we are and moving us to where we need to be.
As December draws to a close, may we continue to be aware of where we have been, where we are, and what is coming and may we continue to wait upon, expect, and reflect on the action of God in our lives.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Image - Advent Water Banner
Fabric and Tempera Paint
Top Picture - In Process
Lower Picture - Installed
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