News from the Heavens
For the past two days, the local news station has been proclaiming the words every child in school loves to hear: snow is on the way!
When I was a kid, those words gave me elation. Before going to bed, I would crack my window blinds just wide enough to keep an anxious eye on the outside. I’d rely on the posted streetlights to be the watchmen of the night, relaying any significant changes in the atmosphere.
When morning would come, I’d sleepily traipse to the window, rubbing my eyes, and behold the piercing white canvas that lay below on the ground. Snow is here!
The arrival of snow usually meant the cancellation of school. Growing up in rural Virginia, even a snowfall of 2 inches was enough to halt the bus drivers and school teachers from collecting their students for a day of tedious learning. And with the cancellation of school, we were free to do as we pleased. For my brother and me, this meant staying in our pajamas, watching early morning cartoons followed by The Price is Right, and playing lots of video games. Studying and homework could wait until the evening. Snow had come and set us free; it was our deliverance from the burdens of lectures and homework.
I imagine this is what it must have been like for those hearing the message of John the Baptist, the frontrunner for the coming Messiah. He was heavenly local news, proclaiming deliverance was on its way:
“The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
To know that a real, crowd-gathering, fiery preacher like John was saying that there was someone more powerful on the way that John can’t even take the guy’s shoes off had to stoke some expectation in the hearts of the people. I imagine they went back home after that message and began to ask relatives and friends to help them recount the prophecies spoken by the God-endorsed prophets of old.
I imagine that they’d want to hear the words Isaiah prophesied again, “The government will be upon his shoulder...Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) They’d want to hear a “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” was coming to town soon.
Remember: they were already on the hunt for the Messiah, nominating John the Baptist for the ballot. John, in essence, says, ”I’m not him! But I like your enthusiasm. He’s on his way, though. Keep looking! When he arrives, he’ll make good on the prophets’ promises.”
As we embrace Advent, we are like school children hoping and praying that snow will come and deliver them from another day at the desk.
As we look out our window into the world, we hope and pray for deliverance from a world littered with grievances. We’d rather look out and see a deliverance from our troubles, our heartaches, our mistakes, our very selves.
Though, if we’ve been paying attention and listening, we know a “Snow Day” is coming.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
Indeed, Deliverance has come and Deliverance is coming again.
