So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. – Luke 2.16

Happy Sunday, Middle Family!

Here we are again with haste in this season of Advent. I want to consider haste again in this season. Will you think with me?

In the verse from last Sunday, Mary went with haste to meet her cousin Elizabeth. Her haste was met with loud exclamations and a jumping in-utero baby! In today’s verse, the shepherds’ haste find Mary and Joseph with a baby in a manger.

I’m curious–

What meets your haste these days?

And where are you meeting haste?

And finally, how are you holding these instances of haste? Does it affect how you show up?

Perhaps if you take a beat, close your eyes, and reflect, you will notice cues from the rest of your body about how haste affects you. Maybe it makes you anxious, maybe it makes you excited, maybe it distracts you. Consider in this Advent season a practice of mindfulness. How do you want to show up? Is haste a part of that? Even (or especially) in a season of eager anticipation?

I think haste has gotten a bad rap. Sure, a couple of missed details may slide by, but also sometimes it helps to let go of overthinking. Sometimes, you’ve got to just pick up and go! You hear the voice of the Divine and you are moved to act! In both of these verses, a divine voice was the impetus for their hurried state. Too often, our haste lacks that grounding. May we listen more closely this Advent season to the divine call on our lives and move with haste in that direction.

See you at church,

Rev. Natalie Renee Perkins

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