Almost, Not Yet, Already

Isaiah 2:1-5

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

The coming. Did you know that's what Advent means...the coming? In medieval times it meant the coming of a king or Lord to visit with you. It was a time to be anticipated and excited about. Someone important was coming to dwell with you.

It's no wonder that Christianity adopted the phrase to mean the period of time in which we prepare for the infant-king's birth, his dwelling with us, AND the the Prince of Peace's return. At the same time we rejoice in He who came AND He who is to come. In the words of our children's advent musical, "Waiting Songs", it is the "almost, not yet, already" time...it's almost Christmas and we celebrate the birth of the newborn King; We celebrate the return of the King of Kings who is not yet, but long expected; and we place our hope in the promise of the one who is "already", the one in Deuteronomy 31:8 who is described as "The Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Because he goes before us; because his promises are true and because scripture foretells it, at advent we prepare our hearts and minds for the immaculate, infant birth and for the day when we will dwell on the "mountain of the Lord's house" and when "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,and their spears into pruning-hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation,neither shall they learn war any more."

Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord this Advent.