Illustration from Masahiro Kasuya’s Children’s Book “The Way Christmas Came”

One letter to Santa read: “Dear Santa, Mommy says that you only bring presents for the good little boys. That isn’t fair. Brian”

Most of us would find places in life to agree with Brian. The world isn’t fair. We live in the world of “not yet” . . . a world which exists between the promise and God’s fulfillment of that promise. This is a flawed world. A world which stretches our good intentions.  Children whine and demand attention. Friends get crabby. Co-workers, customers and yes, even we, at times are on the ornery side.

We live in a world where the doctor doesn’t always get it right and terrible things happen to very good people. Jobs are lost, war rages and people we love get hurt. We live in a world where unforeseen changes can blast away any sense of security, shattering our confidence both in God and ourselves. Indeed, life is not fair.

Into such a world God sent an angel to a young woman. God chose to enter this flawed world in the form of a child. Into this “not yet” world a savior was sent to take us through the “not yet” into the space and time when all of God’s plans for creation will be fulfilled.  One day tears will cease and joy will overflow our hearts. Meanwhile, there are moments of grace when we are blessed with God’s mercy. We experience kindness, compassion and forgiveness which we know we have neither earned nor deserve. We are blessed with caring people, genuine concern, compassion and love.

We hear in Mary’s song, our own story.  “The mighty one has done great things for me . . . God’s mercy is for all who fear God . . . God lifts up the lowly and fills the hungry with Good things.” (Portions of Luke 1:49-53)

More Advent Thoughts can be found here at Daily Devotions for Advent through Epiphany