Accepting Our Mission
Today is the fourth and last Sunday of Advent. We have been journeying through this tender time with Gabriel, the messenger of God Who announced Mary’s destiny of becoming the mother of her Savior if she chose to accept the call. She said: “Yes!”
Gabriel was also the chosen angel to deliver the “mission” to Joseph, should he choose to accept it. He did accept the call and it gave him the confidence to be the Son of God’s earthly father.
It makes me a little dizzy just thinking about Mary and Joseph accepting “the mission”. They both could have refused.
Before Tom Cruise’s role in the movie series, Mission Impossible was a weekly tv show in the 60s to 80s. A covert team accepted the mission from a phone booth, a vending machine or other mundane location. The tape recording that detailed “your mission, should you choose to accept it,” ended with the chilling warning that in the event of capture, all knowledge would be disavowed. With a puff of smoke, the tape self-destructed in 10 seconds. I loved the intrigue, the disguises, and the techno-gadgets.
Now, let’s get real about the story of Mary and Joseph choosing to accept their mission. They didn’t have an earthly support team when they both said “Yes”. My goodness! They didn’t even have a team to arrange accommodations for them at the Bethlehem Inn!
As difficult the mission was for them, the rewards of their complete trust and obedience, gave us hope for today and tomorrow!
In a small, but worthwhile way, I’ve accepted the mission to be a voice for God in these daily blogs. Certainly not like the voice of John the Baptist in the wilderness, but a voice, nonetheless. That makes me an avid “noticer”.
A noticer notices, and pays attention to details. I first became a “noticer” when I was a Technical Writer and Editor for various publications, but mostly of late I’ve become a noticer of God’s nudges that point me in the direction I should go.
I’ve been a noticer during this beautiful season of Advent. “Noticer” seems to be encased in all the traditions of Christmas. Last week I was privileged to attend Austin Symphony Orchestra’s “Elf” concert where the movie was shown on the big screen as the orchestra played the musical score. Fabulous. I noticed the changes of meanness to kindness; grumpiness to joyfulness; fear to peace. That is what God did for us, His children. He gave us the opportunity to accept the mission of joy, kindness, peace and so much more.
I notice the little vignettes in my home of Christmas past and present that represent the ONE who we received in our hearts as our Savior and King. I notice my Holy Family figurines that remind me of the mission they accepted. I see them every day. I notice them. I notice words in scriptures that I never noticed before.
I am in good company with my “noticing”. The shepherds were noticers of the angels who broke the news of their Savior’s birth. The Wise Men were noticers of the star that led them to the Christ Child.
This 4th Sunday of Advent, may we NOTICE and ACCEPT our mission, as did the Holy Family. We are not alone in accepting our mission to serve God. God is with us. In our times of fear, stress or worry, God is with us. In times of feeling lonely or forsaken, God Who Knows all, sees all and even felt all, is with us.
In accepting our mission, we become aware of God’s presence as we become His “light” representatives. That means as His representatives we convey His attitude, actions, and character in and through our lives.
God sent Himself; He sent His Son. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” John 1:14. He wants us to NOTICE that He really is WITH US as we become His bold ambassadors to tell the world: “God is with us!”