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ADVENT

Day 4

A New Day

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

—ROMANS 13:11-12

When I was a child, I could, and frequently did, sleep for twelve hours or more at a crack. My body craved sleep. Mornings were difficult. But as I have grown older and my life has been overtaken by routines, work, and myriad obligations, I have discovered that I often have difficulty sleeping. Mornings are a welcome respite, a quiet time, before the frantic pace of the day begins. Mornings are beginnings—a kind of new creation, when it is possible to start over, leave the burdens of the previous day behind, and embrace all the possibilities that a new day presents.

I wonder if these are not some of the ideas behind the apostle Paul’s writing to the church in Rome. Here, the apostle asks believers to leave behind the darkness, to embrace the light, and to awake from sleep—a metaphor used throughout the Bible for everything from apathy to death. He calls upon believers to recognize that God’s salvation is near. These themes and ideas can come full circle as we journey through Advent.

Consider, for example, the many distractions that pervade our lives. It is often difficult to see God’s helpfulness and interventions in our lives when our attentions are wrested away by worry, busyness, entertainment, disasters, fear, anxiety, or even the next big game on TV. When we move our attentions from these to cast our faith upon God, it can often be like awakening from sleep. The pall of darkness lifts. We see life in a new light.

As a child, I could never figure out why my parents enjoyed the mornings so much; but now that I am older, I think I know. It is because the mornings offer us the possibility of a new order, a new creation, a new way to think about our lives—our worries and concerns. Instead of dropping back to sleep in the darkness of yesterday, we can embrace new paths of gratitude, hope, or joy.

Today offers these possibilities and more. So, as you cast your faith into this new day, what do you see? What are you hoping for?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this new day. Yesterday is behind me. And I trust that you will walk with me through this day’s possibilities, hopes, and challenges. I offer you my best, and I trust that you will forgive me when I fail and lift me when I fall. More than this, give me joy and gratitude for this day’s wonders. Amen.