Advent Day 1: An Invitation

I want to start this Advent season as everything should be started: by inviting Christ in. Much of the Christmas season is spent reflecting on the incarnation of Christ which is right and worthy of our attention. However, I humbly offer that we should begin in a different spot. Instead of jumping into the state in which Jesus entered the world and the miracle thereof, we should begin in worshipful calling out to our Savior. It is when we are joined by the presence of the Holy that revelation and celebration joyfully go hand in hand. The song i chose to open with is Heaven Fall Down by Phil Wickham who is joined in the video by Shane and Shane (video at the end of the post). This prayerful and earnest calling upon the Spirit to fall on us is exactly the type of attitude that should be exemplified in the wake of this holiday season which focuses all too soon on the appearance rather than the coming. 

The Israelites in the Old Testament were well acquainted with having to wait for the Presence to fall. Israel could only move forward when the presence of the Lord moved beyond the tent of the Tabernacle. "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys" Exodus 40:34-38. How long the Israelites had to follow this pillar of cloud and where it would lead them were not subjects the people were to concern themselves with. The only logical response to looking out in the morning and seeing the tangible presence of God leading their people onward was complete obedience. Of course the Israelites did not exactly have obedience on their list of virtues but they did follow the pillars of cloud and fire in the wilderness for forty years. This cloud of presence also fills the Temple at its dedication in 1 Kings 8. After witnessing this desscention of the presence of the Holy, Solomon launches into a lengthy prayer of dedication in which he reflects: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!" 1 Kings 8:27. Completely preposterous isn't it that the God who created and sustains the universe would content himself to live in an earthly dwelling of any kind?

We already know the ending to this story though. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). A great fiery presence, a cloud of glory that could not be contained took on the form of a little baby. Why you ask? Well we'll talk about the 'why' soon enough. Tonight we will focus on the who and the where. The who is you and me and Christ. We cry out in desperation for the fullness of the Presence to be imparted to us, for heaven to fall down on us. This is where my advent will start: expectantly and desperately waiting.

Open our eyes, Lord, let us see
All that You are, all that You mean
Open our ears, Lord, let us hear
All that You are, be loud and clear
Please be near

As our praises rise
May Your presence fall

Heaven, Heaven fall down
Spirit, Spirit pour out
On us all now
Heaven fall down

Come Jesus come, come like the wind
Fill up this place, we welcome You in
Come Jesus come, come like the rain
Open the sky; show us Your face
Oh, Lord, we wait

As our praises rise
May Your presence fall

Heaven, Heaven fall down
Spirit, Spirit pour out
On us all now
Heaven fall down

We're crying out in desperation
Waiting now in expectation
We're crying out in desperation
For You
We're crying out in desperation
Waiting now in expectation
We're crying out in desperation
For You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXF5UY8zTmQ