Today I want to welcome my son, Daniel Geisen. He joined me last year during the Advent season and has so many great insights to share about this time of year, I invited him back again. He and his wife are currently living with me as they both seek what the next step is in God’s plan. Daniel loves to write and is seeking writing and teaching opportunities. He would welcome your insight and comments.
Growing up, my family attended a traditional church, one that took pride in remembering the story of Advent and recalling the hope it brings. It was also a church that loved its candles. Sure, the candles created a wonder-filled atmosphere, but I was terrified of the inevitable doom of the wax that trickled down the candle towards my arm (I’m still bothered by that phenomenon today). These candles represented the call to remain vigilant, which was no problem for the guy who didn’t want the candle to burn him. All joking aside, this call to vigilance was noble and founded on reading the Christmas story as it was presented in the Gospels—the biographies of the one we call Lord. Thus, my experience each year at this time has been to read and remember the hope that arrives with Jesus. As eager and perhaps desperate as we might be to try and absorb information about hope, maybe the Advent narrative is eager not to merely be read and to transfer information regarding hope, but it might just be eager to read us instead. If the Advent story can read us, what would it say?
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It would look at our present political climate and say, “Believe it or not, I get it.” The Advent tale features a Christ who enters the political fray of tension between the various expressions of Judaism and the Romans. This very narrative might just be leaping with anticipation to show us in our own political worries and fears that the same Jesus who lived in chaos of the first century is the Lord of the cosmos this very hour.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:7
The Advent story would also read the novels of our despair and say, “Awake, O Sleeper, hope has arrived.” Many of us might be facing disappointment and confusion these days. My wife and I are certainly in that boat. We sought an opportunity in ministry recently that didn’t end up working out. It was shocking, it yielded many tears, and it left us asking where we can serve in God’s kingdom. Through all of this, we truly resonated with what the story of Christmas might need to tell us. Instead of us attempting to dissect the first few chapters of Matthew and Luke, we discovered that we were the ones who needed to be under the microscope. Upon coming back to the Christmas story with that disposition of being read rather than simply obtaining information, it became clear once more that there is real hope because of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, I thoroughly enjoy studying Scripture. To suggest that our goal might be to allow Scripture—especially the Advent narrative—to read us is strange, to say the least. In the 21st century Western hemisphere, we have been given volumes of resources to excavate spiritual truths. We’ve received instruments to discover masses of life applications from the Bible. We can utilize all of these wonderful items to essentially operate on Scripture, and yet we can still find ourselves so distant from this captivating story. Yes, there is a place (and a very important place, I might add) for intentional study and research. But there is also a need for us to allow Scripture to read us—in our individual struggles and our communal lament. In doing this, we allow Scripture to speak to us and we just might have ears to hear, “There is hope yet.” Or, in the words of the prophet Isaiah anticipating a glorious day, “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).
To find out more about Mandy Smith’s book, The Vulnerable Pastor, click on the link below.
Thank you all for joining me here today!
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and Dawn for Grace Moments
So blessed to read your words here, Daniel. Seeing our story in HIStory is such a vital part of our relationship with God. Since Advent is a time of reflection and pause, it makes sense that we would use this time to allow the scriptures to wash over us and reveal what they may about our lives. Wishing you and your family the happiest of Christmas’ and all JOY in 2017!
Thank you for joining my son here on the blog. What a blessing his words are to me and to others. I have been pondering his question since he wrote this post. What is Advent is eager to read us? A beautiful thought to let God’s Word teach us and reveal more about who we are. Merry Christmas friend!
What an amazing though of allowing God’s Word to read us. I love this so much!
I love Daniel’s challenge to get us to think what if Advent is eager to read us. It totally flips how you look at God’s Word and the meaning it has for our own lives. Thank you for being here Barbie!
I so agree with Daniel: “Yes, there is a place (and a very important place, I might add) for intentional study and research. But there is also a need for us to allow Scripture to read us—in our individual struggles and our communal lament.” Thanks for sharing your son with us again, Mary. May you all have a wonderful Christmas!
I appreciate the feedback, Lisa! Merry Christmas!
“The Advent story is eager to read us…” I’ll be thinking of this today as I dive into a particular scripture that I was led to just earlier today on another blog. The hope Jesus brought in that day is also valid today. May I lift up my eyes in hope instead of downward in defeat knowing He’s here. Thank you Daniel!
Thanks, Lynn! That’s one of those things I constantly need a reminder of: that the world Jesus entered isn’t so different from ours today in the 21st century, and He is the same God always.
What a great twist on our traditional line of thought, Daniel! I agree, especially at this time of year, we need to let Christ and His story read our lives. I’m not sure He’d like what He always reads in my life, but with that realization, it certainly motivates me to follow Him more wholeheartedly.
Thanks for the thoughts here, Beth! It’s a process of letting the story of Jesus read our own lives, and I think it’s something that develops over a long time, but it’s a truly awesome story.
Great job Daniel! What I liked most though is how we share a common fear of that Advent candle. I was always afraid growing up that it would burn me too. And now as an adult in a church that also celebrates Christmas in this way, I am terrified of all the littles running around with lit candles waving their hands left and right. 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Yes, those Advent candles are quite terrifying! Hope you have a Merry Christmas, Nicki!
…we discovered that we were the ones who needed to be under the microscope.”
Oh yes, Lord.
xo
Thank you for being here Susan! It sure was a blessing for me to have Daniel write his Advent perspective.
Daniel,
Just like the Advent story read the initial characters years ago, it reads us today. It knows just where the holes are in our hearts and it comes to fill those holes and give us hope. This is the true joy of Christmas….not that we are free of pain, but that God knows our pain and sent His Son to be our comforter. Loved your twist on this…
Advent blessings to you and your mom,
Bev
Thank you, Bev! Indeed that’s the true joy of Christmas that hope is alive and well because of Jesus. Merry Christmas!
Daniel,
Your post resonated with me and I agree with you about letting Scripture read us; it is part of the transformational process. And yes, we also study, as you pointed out.
This was encouraging: “Upon coming back to the Christmas story with that disposition of being read rather than simply obtaining information, it became clear once more that there is real hope because of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Advent blessings to you and yours during this time of transition.
Thanks, Dolly! I like that you identified this as a transformational process. That’s always the goal of reading Scripture and being read by the gospel itself. Merry Christmas!
This was a great, thought-provoking post by Daniel! I liked the idea of Scripture reading us. How does it describe where we are on this journey with the Lord and where do we feel the Lord healing our hearts, giving us hope.
Thank you, Daniel. This will affect the rest of our Advent reading.
Blessings,
Janis
Thanks, Janis! It’s an incredible process to not only read the Advent story, but to let it read us and show us where there has been true hope all along. Merry Christmas!
This is a thought-provoking post and I really like this different perspective in Advent. It is important to read the Bible not just to get information but to let it speak into our lives and transform us. I love the reminder that “the same Jesus who lived in chaos of the first century is the Lord of the cosmos this very hour.”
Thank you Lesley. I am blessed to have my son share his perspective on Advent. May we all learn how to read the Bible and let it speak into our lives.
What a great post! You’re so right, Daniel. It’s so easy to dissect Scripture and yet remain so distant from the effects it can have on our lives. It’s when we allow God’s word to open up our hearts, like that double-edged sword that separates bone from marrow, dividing between soul and spirit, that we can draw nearer to God. And know and be read by His word. I love this word picture, Daniel.
So nice to “meet” you here today.
Thank you for joining my son and I today. Daniel sure got me thinking and sounds like he did the same for you too. Blessed as always that you leave such encouragement.
So thought-provoking, Daniel. Allowing the Bible to read us – to really allow it to speak to us. We need that so much. As for the political climate, I had never thought about it that Jesus entered a political fray. I take comfort in knowing God is in control of everything, but thinking of the fact that Jesus was born into such a climate brings that comfort even deeper. He understands and He’s got us!
I’m so sorry for the heartache of you and your wife in the loss of a ministry. It’s so hard to understand God’s ways sometimes. I pray He uses this to bring you closer to Him and He gives you both guidance and strength. May you both and you, too, Mary, have a Blessed Christmas!
Daniel did a wonderful job not only providing context between then and now but also in challenging us to change our thinking about Advent.I also take comfort in knowing God is in control. With our current climate it is reassuring to know that God’s got this.
Thank you for your sweet encouragement and prayers. You are a blessing!
Hi Mary and Daniel! Thank you for your thought-provoking post today Daniel. I didn’t really think about how our political climate could match the uncertainty of the times that Christ was born into…I really like that insight.
The idea of the bible ‘reading us’ is an interesting thought too. I wonder what kind of mess my life would look like in comparison to the clear message of hope and peace in the birth of the Savior? Eww. Probably not so great. What a good idea to look at Scripture in a whole new way.
I pray that you will find the right place for yourself, and that God will bring you and your wife joy and peace in this Advent season. I do really enjoy your mom’s writing, and from that, I know she will help you as much as she can. That’s just how she is.
Advent blessings,
Ceil
I love how Daniel took us back in time while at the same time pointing us forward to current time. He also brought in a unique perspective with letting the Bible read us. It seems like reverse thinking but at the same time makes so much sense.
As for your life, Ceil, God made each of us a mess so but loves nothing more than to redeem us. So glad you stopped by and shared such sweet encouragement.
This really spoke to me: “there is also a need for us to allow Scripture to read us—in our individual struggles and our communal lament”, because it’s so true and so needful. When we read with quiet deliberation, placing ourselves within the text, seeing how the message speaks to us personally, in a sense we are allowing Scripture to read us – the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, our worries, hopes and fears, our weaknesses, shame and pain.
The process of lectio divina lends itself well to asking what the text is saying to us as we chew over the words with prayerful meditation. Thank you for stirring our thoughts today, Daniel! I love the quote from ‘The Vulnerable Pastor’. How easy it can be to take the Bible for granted, simply because we have such an abundance of bibles, translations and commentaries to choose from. If we view it instead like needful, life-sustaining food, daily manna for our souls and necessary wisdom to guide our steps, then maybe we would reverence it more.
Your sweet encouragement means so much Joy. What a blessing having you here today. I love how you described placing ourselves within the text of Scripture to see how the message speaks to us. I imagine what a treat that would be if I did that more often. May we never take God’s words for granted just because it is easily accessible.
I have missed your wisdom here Joy. I pray you are having more good days than bad days and that your husband is making progress. I think of you often.
What a beautiful perspective on Advent! I must admit, often I am in a hurry … to sit still and let Advent read me takes time … but oh, how needed it is. Thanks, Daniel, for sharing this with us today!
I love Daniel’s perspective on Advent. I have not considered having Advent/Scriptures read us before now. I will be pondering this and seeing what this looks like for me. Thank you for being here.
We focus on Isaiah 9:6 in our house this time of year, but I love the truth of Isaiah 9:7 as well — and you’re so right about allowing ourselves to be interrogated by the Truth. Too often it’s the other way around.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving some encouragement for Daniel. I love his perspective of letting the Scripture read us. Definitely something I need to reflect on more. Blessings friend!