Advent Speed Bumps

 

One of my least favorite things is a speed bump. We see them called different things. Speed bump, speed hump, speed table. I even saw speed “lump” in Mobile, Alabama. The speed bump is a type of traffic calming device that has been in existence since the 1950s and is placed on a roadway in order to slow the traffic. Have you ever missed the sign for a speed bump and your vehicle goes flying over the bump, everything in the car including yourself are quite jostled? You wonder, what just happened?

I wonder if you ever feel that way going through the season of Advent. You hurry, hurry, hurry right through the season and bump right into Christmas. You have last minute gifts to get, food to buy, dinners and desserts to make. Some prepare to travel far distances. The season of Advent becomes the season of Hurry. Hurry does not make us a very calm people. Hurry will tire us out. Before you know it, you will go over that speed bump without even knowing what hit you.

As we coast through Advent, heading straight for and bumping right into Christmas, I would like to suggest we slow down a bit. Let’s slow down and take our time going over the speed bump, hump, table, or lump. Let’s take time to slow down and reflect on the season of Advent. Isaiah 40 is a chapter full of Advent verses we hear in church on Sunday mornings or we read in our Advent devotionals. “Comfort, comfort my people” (vs. 1), “A voice of one calling, ‘in the desert prepare the way for the Lord’…”(vs. 3), and “You bring good tidings to Zion” (vs. 9).

The beginning of Isaiah’s ministry takes place just before Israel falls into captivity. He warns them about the impending speed bump (like the signs warn us). However, Israel disregards the warning and flies right over the speed bump and into Assyrian captivity. Then in chapter 40 Isaiah changes his tone. He writes these verses to a weary and tired people to comfort them. He gives them hope and expectation and foretells of the coming Messiah. He reminds them of the power of God in the midst of their weariness. Then he writes, “those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (vs. 31 NRSV).

As you move through the Advent and Christmas seasons, and then into Epiphany, take time to slow down. Take time to think about how God wants to move in your life. If you take Advent slowly, you may be able to receive the gift of Christmas like the gifts the Christ-child received from the Magi two years after his birth. Then you will be ready for what God is calling you to do in the new year.

There will be times when we completely ignore the warning signs. There will be times when we are caught off guard. We know there will be speed bumps, there will be times of trial. We have been told these things in advance so that when they come, we know the One who has overcome these trials (John 16:33) and who does not grow weary (Isaiah 40:28). Remember speed bumps, humps, lumps, and tables are meant to calm our hurried life. When we take the time to slow down, wait on and place our hope in God, then we can ride over the speed bumps in a much smoother fashion.