The Peace We Long For: Advent in Disorienting Times | Day 16

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42 and Acts 5:12-16

I was struck by a major juxtaposition between these two sections of scripture. 

Psalm 42 seeks hope and finds nothing in the seeking, and yet, the writer reminds themselves to praise and find hope in God. Acts 5:12-16 shows us a time when miracles are in abundance.

As someone who has spent my whole life trying to find balance, passages like this remind me that life often comes to us in extremes. It is how we live between those extremes that show the fruits we bear.

Like a grape vine, a hot and arid summer can lead to stronger flavors and reduce the chance of mold and mildew. As the year progresses, cool and wet winters can be a source of replenishment for soil and vines. Two extremes, yet both are there for the benefit of the vine.

So when we find ourselves with too many troubles or an abundance of blessings, the growth may not always be found in that moment, but will come to us later as the result of those extremes. 

Take comfort in the rhythm of the seasons and the patterns of life.

There is growth in the in between, in the waiting.

Now, in Advent, we wait.