– Rev. Chris Brady, Capital District Superintendent
“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way;” Isaiah 53:8a
“Have you thought about where you would like to go?” Lately, this refrain can be frequently heard in the Brady household as my wife and I press our 15-year-old son like an orange in a juice press, hoping to glean an inkling of insight about colleges he might be considering. We are laying out plans for short weekend excursions that will be centered around the exploration of college campuses. We are both excited and anxious, yet my son’s sense of urgency is lacking, much to his parent’s chagrin. Have you ever lived with a 15-year-old or any teenager for a significant amount of time? You likely can identify with the sentiment felt from their lack of urgency toward things parents consider essential. I am the kind of person who likes to know the plan. Details and planning have been drilled into me from 20 years of military service. My soul delights in primary, contingency, and secondary plans. Like many parents, I want him to take the “right” path. So, I sigh in frustration again, being reminded that watching and waiting is tough, but our calling is to enjoy the journey.
Isaiah 35:1-10 talks about a holy highway for God’s people, where “the redeemed shall walk.” This “Holy Highway” is a path that may not always be direct, yet if we are alert and watching, we find Joy. The journey on this highway sounds like a Wesleyan call to walk in holiness. This “Holy Way” requires more than scripture reading, prayer, and attending church. Holiness also involves daily attitudes and intentional postures that we carry into the world around us and invite us to anticipate God’s surprising presence and grace, which affords us the capacity to extend and receive Joy on our journey. Advent is an invitation to slow down and cultivate patience to see what might usually be missed in our culture of wanting to get to the end, as we miss the gift of being on the Way.
This week’s advent candle is pink or rose-colored and reminds us that soon, and very soon, we will see the King, which is the ground of our Joy! Yet, we must wait for a bit longer. While you are waiting, revel in the gift that is today. Identify and reflect on something that blossoms in surprising places along your journey… a smile, a friendly gesture, a rose that blossoms despite the harsh frost; these are signs of unanticipated Joy.