Advent Three | Author: Clara Harmon
Reading: Luke 1:39-56
Meditation
I believe in Joy…even when I don’t feel it. As Pastor Audrey said in a recent sermon “we don’t create joy, we make space for it. The spirit does the work, not us.” I embrace joy in my life today. I can look for and celebrate the positive, as the two miraculously pregnant women, Mary and Elizabeth, did when they greeted one another.
The other day I made space for joy in an otherwise frightening situation. I embraced the feelings of playfulness and delight instead of fear and doubt when I found myself alone in an extraordinary traffic snarl in Manhattan. First, some details: John needed an outpatient procedure at a Manhattan hospital. A traffic standstill on the FDR meant that he ended up safely walking the last 5 minutes to reach the hospital on time. Now I was left alone to drive that same distance.
I could have panicked, let fear take over, let that familiar voice of self-doubt yell at me that I’ll never get through this safely and without incident. I quieted those thoughts and made room for God’s spirit. John was already inside. No time pressure. What a gorgeous day it was …bright sunshine, dry pavement. How fortunate are we to live near such world-class healthcare facilities. As I proceeded snail-like through three intersections, the cars got even closer together and the honking louder. Don’t block the box, don’t sit in the crosswalk, don’t hit anyone or anything. “You’ve got this,” I kept saying. “You’ve got this.”
When it was my time to take my life-changing left turn, I felt ready, even confident. I waited through several light cycles before boldly making the turn, getting stuck again on another crosswalk with my car not fully through the intersection. The car safety beepers chirped loudly…people, wheelchairs, passing too close in front, behind.
But I was smiling once I made that last turn —“I did it! I did it!” I squealed to no one. I felt like I had earned an Olympic gold medal. In that moment I wished someone had been in the car with me for those 45 minutes to witness my victory. But as I write this I realize I was never alone. God’s spirit was right there with me the whole time. Celebrating my courage, holding me safely in God’s care. I made space for JOY!
Prayer
Gracious God, help us to remember that Joy is both a decision and a surrender. Grant us the courage to open our eyes and hearts to what is good, what is beautiful, what stirs our soul—and to let ourselves be delighted by it. Guide us to gently surrender to life’s unpredictability, understanding that while we can’t control much, we can choose how we respond. With your help we can choose to see joy, to welcome it, to live from it. Amen.
