More Questions than Answers

December 9th
More Questions than Answers

By Rob Tiessen

Romans 16:25b-26

…according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages  but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith

Advent is all about waiting for the revelation of God’s mystery. It’s hard to wait for the Messiah; for Jesus to be born. As children it was difficult to wait until Christmas to find out what gifts we might get under the tree. But now life is difficult as we wait for other things. Now we wait eagerly for news of vaccines.  What does it mean that the United Kingdom has approved a vaccine already? Is that good news for other countries? Or will Canada be left behind in the vaccine race? 

Every day I doom scroll the Public Health Agency of Canada’s COVID statistics page. What is Canada’s active infection rate? What is Alberta’s? Why does our province have the second highest active infection rate in Canada?  And why does Alberta seem to be gaining on Manitoba? I often listen to Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer at her daily news conferences at 3:30 p.m. Sometimes I listen to the Premier or the Prime Minister at their respective news conferences. I am trying to figure out where we are at. Where we are going? What revelation is coming? 

We sometimes fly to Ontario to visit family for Christmas. That won’t happen this year.  When we stay in Alberta, we have friends over or visit friends in their homes.That won’t happen this year.  Maybe we will be able to go on walks with friends for Christmas? Help us learn to wait for an appropriate time to visit family and friends again. 

Our church decided to cancel in person services again to limit the possibility of transmitting COVID-19. It was the right thing to do.  But it was also the wrong thing to do.  Yes we have recordings of church services. We have Zoom.  But we also have Zoom fatigue. There will be no in person service for Christmas eve. What does Christmas mean without an in person service? Lord how much longer do we need to wait for normal face to face interaction again? 

Lord help us to wait for the revelation of your mystery. And help us to remember that nothing will be impossible with God.