Fourth Thursday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
Isaiah 33:17-22
17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. 18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: “Where is that chief officer? Where is the one who took the revenue? Where is the officer in charge of the towers?” 19 You will see those arrogant people no more, people whose speech is obscure, whose language is strange and incomprehensible. 20 Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken. 21 There the Lord will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them. 22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.
Luke 1:46b-55
“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Revelation 22:6-7, 18-20
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
The Willing Vessel
by Payge Lucas
Payge Lucas is the New Leaf administrative assistant and the Director of the Roxy Centre. Payge lives in Dundas, ON with her husband Paul and their three kids. Payge has worked in a variety of ministries and is currently pursuing her Masters of Theological Studies with a focus in Spiritual Care and Counselling at McMaster Divinity College. She loves plants, spending time with family, and building aquariums in her spare time.
Over the last few years I've been learning how to form, shape, and work with clay. Immediately after reading the passages that were assigned to me, I sat down at the wheel. Some of you may know nothing about working with clay, and that’s totally fine, but for me, this is one of the times that my brain is actually quiet. On a day-to-day basis, it feels like I can’t keep up with my brain running, wandering, and spinning... and then I sit down, and take the time to be creative with the Lord.
There’s something about working with clay that centres me, shifts my focus away from the daily anxieties of life, and helps me release them to the Lord. The tangible feeling of the clay softening in my hands. The drips of water as I pour it onto the clay. The sound of the wheel spinning. The various muscles you use to try to make the clay and breathe life into this new creation in front of you. As I said above, I took time to reflect on these verses on the wheel. Throughout my reflection, I’ll be sharing photos through to the final stage with you..
As I reflected on Luke 1:46b–55, I was reminded of the strength and wisdom that Mary had as she carried Jesus in her womb. That she was willing to be the vessel through which the saviour was born, even though she may have been scared and worried, as a young, unmarried woman, she knew the Lord would bring her through because,
“He shows mercy from generation to generation
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.”
I wanted to create this empty vessel that would hold living water, but I also didn’t want the outside to be perfect and smooth. I wanted the imperfections to be shown. As a reminder of God’s abundance of grace for me. I struggle with perfectionism. I like when everything turns out exactly as I wish, but I have come to realize that sometimes the beauty of battle and struggle shapes us to be stronger vessels for the Lord’s message. And so, even though it was hard for me to keep it as it was, the imperfections of this water holding vessel were left.
Once dried, pottery gets fired in the kiln at 2232 F or Cone 6. This bisque-ware retains its shape, but its transformation journey is far from complete like us, it is gradually refined and shaped over time. Pottery is NOT an instant gratification hobby. It takes time and patience, both of which make me uncomfortable. In this fast paced world, with an “I needed it yesterday” kind of attitude, pottery reminds me to breathe, relax, and focus on what is in front of me. It reminds me that my anxieties and struggles are temporary. It reminds me that sometimes my vision is not what comes to fruition. It reminds me that sometimes I cannot control what happens, but instead I have to let the Lord move as he sees fit. “The Lord will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross, that no enemy ship can sail upon.” (Isaiah 33:21) Amen!
The final step in the pottery journey is glazing. Now, for many beginners, this part is hard. We have taken the time to craft this beautiful piece that has already survived many stages of refinement, and now we paint and dip our art into glazes that are unpredictable and change in the kiln. When you are hoping for a black piece, you dip it in a glaze that is red! I didn’t include a photo of this stage of the piece’s journey for two reasons:
1. My hands were very dirty
2. I forgot! I was in my own world of imagination and creativity, so it didn’t even occur to me. BUT this actually works for my reflection.
Mystery and the unknown are uncomfortable and hard. Knowing that Jesus will come again (Revelation 22) but not knowing how this will happen has caused so many to come up with theories over the years, trying to pinpoint the day of the Lord’s return. Not only is this unhelpful, but it can be very dangerous. We do not know the outcome, but we do know it will happen. As I write this, my little weathered jug is sitting in the kiln, waiting for its final steps of the journey. I do not know what the final result will be, but I do know that it will remain a beautiful, living-water holding vessel that has imperfections just like you and I. Thankfully, through the journey of sanctification, Jesus does not see our faults, but rather the beauty of our refinement. In the end, I hope that my piece’s faults and imperfections make it more beautiful.
“Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon. Jesus is coming!” (Revelation 22:6–7) This is our hope! Jesus is coming!
So, as you go through life with the knowledge that Jesus is coming, be not afraid to show your imperfections, know that God is our protector and redeemer; he is the one who determines our identities and our final outcome. We must trust in the one we know is real and true because we have experienced the power of His Holy Spirit and the mercy and grace he offers us.
So again, let us celebrate and wait with anticipation because Jesus is Coming!
Thank you for reading the New Leaf Advent Reader, a collection of reflections from writers across Canada. If you are enjoying the reader, sign up to receive the readings in your inbox each day here: SIGN UP
And please share this reflection with your friends and family who might also enjoy it.
Listen to these Advent reflections…
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on the New Leaf Project Podcast.
