A Weekly Update from Pastor Rhea

It's often pointed out how, whenever someone encounters an angel in scripture, the first thing that the angel has to say is, "don't be afraid." There's an awful lot in that to unpack, from the realization that angels might actually seem to be awesome and terrifying beings, to the fact that fear is the reflexive response to so much of human experience.

But it also has me thinking about our need for comfort. Real comfort. Comfort grounded in reality – not a patronizing pat on the head while saying, "aw, it's ok." We need comfort. We need it as much as we need truth, wisdom, and security. We need to know the chaos that swirls around us, spiking our anxieties and turning our stomachs, will not ultimately have its way. Because that chaos is frightening. Because we are afraid.

So enters the king. With power we could not wield, authority we cannot ignore, and understanding we will not grasp. And the king kneels down to our level, and with softness in his eyes and gentleness in voice, he says, "don't be afraid. I'm here."

That's what we celebrate in Advent. That God chooses to comfort rather than intimidate. That God chooses presence over aloofness. That God is with us, and that, dear brothers and sisters, is a great comfort.

See you Sunday!

Rhea