December 2, 2010
Thursday
Peter sings,
“Stirrin’ up the water
Stirrin’ up my soul
A light comes to the darkness
Come and make me whole
Oh stir it up, stir it up Oh Lord”
In “the story of Christmas” we find ourselves in many settings. I have always loved the way the collects or prayers of the day for each week of Advent begin, “Stir up, Oh Lord and come.” What I find amazing is that for 48 weeks of the year we often include in our prayers with words like “calm the storms of our lives” “Bring Peace and Serenity” and
“make straight the rough.” But, in “the story of Christmas” during these days and nights of Advent we pray and request that God might “Stir up and come.”
Every church I have ever served which includes parishes in Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis and now, Denver has had a fairly decent sized industrial kitchen. I am sure these kitchens reflect the amazing food and faith connection which is embedded in our theological dna. I suppose it also testifies to the high value of community that we have traditionally held . The Psalmist was right when he sang, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34) For many folks that includes an invitation to the Fellowship Hall to have coffee and donuts. At the same time while acknowledging our desire for food and community there is also a tendency to be conflict avoiders. Of course, we all know there are things that lurk just below the surface of the waters, but for the most part we want our experience at church to be smooth sailing, like a pleasure cruise on the Good Ship Lollypop as opposed to a theological Titanic or protestant Poseidon Adventure.
And yet, we pray and say, “Stir up, Oh Lord and come.” So, there is this intention, a desire, a petition to experience the conflict of Advent. This interruption is as Peter sings,
“Stirrin’ up the water
Stirrin’ up my soul
A light comes to the darkness
Come and make me whole
Oh stir it up, stir it up Oh Lord”
God being the COSMIC BAKER that God is, has included us in the mix of this holy season. The conflict of Advent is to be “stirred up.” No longer can we simply go on our way, but rather we are stirred up and changed to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
The spoon collection pictured in today’s devo has been in my wife’s family for years. One of her aunts, by the name of Dorothy (which means “Gift of God”) collected spoons whenever she went some place. I’ve been in many homes of parishioners who also have collections of spoons. So, even though we have this nature to avoid conflict, there is also something or maybe SOMEONE who is nudging us to join the mix and be blended together for good, for God, for service, for worship.
In Psalm 80 we hear and read an ancient prayer to get “stirred up”
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
3Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Centuries later, Peter echoes that desire and request,
“Stirrin’ up the water
Stirrin’ up my soul
A light comes to the darkness
Come and make me whole
Oh stir it up, stir it up Oh Lord”
Joyfully,
rtg
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