From: Natasha Cassamajor
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the living God.” Psalm 84.1-2
Each year, by the time advent comes around, I am exhausted. Advent always begins around the same time as all the holiday sales and commercials enticing us to buy more things. Things we do not need and things that do not make us more whole as a person. I love a good bargain as much as anyone, but I have a strong dislike for the way the commercial Christmas can distract us from the real Christmas. As verse 2 in Psalm 84 says, “my soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the living God.” I am desperate to just sit and wait on Jesus. To wait for His peace and His guidance. Like the woman with the issue of blood who longed to touch Jesus’ garment, I too long to connect with my Savior. Our commercial Christmas still brings out some good in people (Giving Tuesday, toy drives, etc.) and it can be cheerful and fun. In spite of the cheerfulness, my heart hurts for the brokenness around and in me. No shopping trip or holiday sale can heal what is broken.
Isaiah 46:9 says “For I am God and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me.” This verse can be both hopeful and terrifying. Only God can meet us right where we are and bring us to where we need to be. It is my prayer that we experience the dwelling place that God is offering us this advent season. Our Advent readings are a great place to start.
I’m in an Advent play called Midwinter, playing, of all people, Mary and 1 of 6 narrators. Please cover me and my cast in your prayers.