Advent is a journey.  Through God’s grace,  we are being drawn by God like a magnet toward the manger, and the birth of the Christ Child. The journey is transformational as we are being changed along the way by the power of the Holy Spirit alive in us.  Our job is to step out in faith.  I love Maya Angelou’s description of her grandmother who raised her and whom she called “Mamma”. (from her book “Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now”)….

“One of my earliest memories of Mamma is a glimpse of a tall cinnamon-colored woman with a deep, soft voice, standing thousands of feet up in the air on nothing visible.  That incredible vision was a result of what my imagination would do each time Mamma drew herself up to her full six feet, clasped her hands behind her back, looked up into a distant sky, and said, ‘I will step out on the word of God.’…She would look up as if she could will herself into the heavens…it wasn’t difficult for me to have faith.  I grew up knowing that the word of God had power.”

I recently discovered a small bag which my grandchildren had packed during their recent visit to our home.  They had been playing in my study and the bag contained a few treasures from my bookshelf which they had randomly selected for their make-believe journey.

It was very fun for me to unpack the bag and see what it contained.  Clearly the first item was the treasure of Travis, age three…

Then there were a selection of books…

The first book on the tongue is pretty clear.  “More Misery” gives challenging life situations from the perspective a child, good insight for any trip.  The Bible in Spanish is a great choice for traveling in Texas. “Postcards” is a collection of letters from God  based on scriptures in the Bible.  Here is one of the letters…

Wow!  These items inadvertently chosen by small children who could not yet read, spoke volumes! I had to smile.  I wonder what you and I might choose to take on our journey to the manger.  There is a song we might sing along the way…

“I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus…..I want to see the brightness of God, I want to look at Jesus…..I’m looking for the coming of Christ, I want to be with Jesus…”  And the Angels said,  “Come and see!”.

Ah….steppin’ out…..

nk

Pondering…

What would it take for you to “step out” on the journey?

What might you take with you?