Dear Faith Family, 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone, (Isaiah 9:2). 

Outside the office window a nearly daily event occurs.  Sirens and lights.  An emergency response vehicle weaves its way through traffic on Dutch Fork Road.  It is interesting to watch drivers respond.  Or not.  Some drivers are conscientious and make way.  Others, maybe oblivious or maybe uncaring, don’t appear to exercise any response at all other than no way.  The sirens and the lights serve as heralds of what’s to come. 

The biblical prophets were the sirens and the lights of old.  They were heralds of what was coming.  Jeremiah pointed his prophetic pen toward what was coming: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land,” (Jeremiah 33:14-15). 

It's hard to imagine a single day without sirens and lights filling the window of my office door.  And yet?  Four hundred years the sirens were silent.  The lights were unlit!  No prophets.  No Word from God. 

Maybe the Messiah isn’t coming after all.  Maybe we misunderstood.  Maybe something happened to God – He meant well, just couldn’t follow through?  Maybe there never were any sirens or lights.  I thought I heard something.  Guess not. 

And then there was John the Baptist!  The voice of one crying in the wilderness, (Matthew 3:3).  We haven’t heard that siren or seen those lights in a long time!  He is coming!  It is Advent! 

But you already knew that, right?  And speaking of a long time, that was over two thousand years ago!  We’ve heard the Christmas story so many times.  Has it become so commonplace that it fails to capture our hearts? 

Maybe He never really came.  Maybe we misunderstood.  Maybe something happened to God – He meant well but we just couldn’t follow through?  Maybe the sirens and lights were wrong.  I thought I heard something.  Guess not. 

But Jesus really did come!  You didn’t misunderstand.  Nothing happened to God – He meant well, and He followed through.  The sirens and the lights were right!  You did hear something.  No guessing necessary. 

Every once in a while, I get past the inconvenience of the sights and sounds and remember that those sirens, those lights, represent an attempt to save somebody’s life. 

Maybe it would help to consider the “what ifs” if Jesus never came.  Maybe it would help to relisten to the sirens and relook at the lights and consider how Jesus perfectly fulfilled what was heralded!  Maybe it would help to slow down, be still, and discover how Jesus came to save lives, plural.  Glory to the newborn King! 

Happy Advent, 
Pastor Karl