December 11
Linda Herman, Elder
As a child growing up in the 60’s, every December 1st, I crafted a paper chain using red and green construction paper and Elmer’s School Paste. There were 24 links in all, festooned around my bedroom walls. Each night after saying my prayers, I would remove the last link and try to settle my excited self to sleep-dreaming and hoping about the gifts I might receive: Etch-A-Sketch, Creepy Crawler Machine, “Monster Mad Libs,” a “Trixie Beldon” mystery, The Beatles album, “A Hard Day’s Night,” and on the list went.
Advent is a season of hoping, renewal, repentance and waiting. But the only aspect of Advent that was on my mind was the hoping to receive the gifts I eagerly had desired.
As a concrete thinker, “Hope in Jesus” or “Salvation in the Lord” are lofty words that tend to slip through my grasp. However, in Isaiah 61 and Psalm 34 we see a list of gifts for us which helps me process these truths in a more concrete way. The gifts are given now, in part, because of the first Advent, but will be given in fullness at the second Advent.
GIFTS OF HEALING
- Freedom from what enslaves us
- Deliverance from fears
- Healing of our crushed spirits
- Nearness to our broken hearts
- Removal of shame
GIFTS OF EXTRAVAGENCE
- A jeweled tiara
- A double portion (!)
- Oil of gladness
- Redemption
- A robe of righteousness
- New title: “Ministers of God”
- Everlasting joy
- A praising heart in lieu of our languid spirits
- A garland of salvation
When the last link of our chain is removed, these are some of the multitude of gifts that await us. “And let us exalt His name together!