"'Tis the season to be ______." Yes, it's a beautiful, joyous, JOLLY season. But it's so many other things, too...and many of them could easily fit within that two-syllable portion of that Christmas song. "Busy." "Crazy." "Tired out." "Silly." "Bonkers." I'm sure you can come up with a few yourself to fit your mood and situation. The truth of the matter is it's a busy season in which you probably have as little time to read this as I have to write it, so I'll be brief.

God's people have always been in a pattern and cycle of being gathered and scattered: gathered together in His house and the company of His family, and then scattered to the places where we live, work, and play. In the Old Testament, the Israelites gathered at God's house to worship, whether it was the tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple once it was built in the Promised Land. On other occasions, they gathered together to fight their adversaries. But then they went back to their tents or their designated tribal lands. They were scattered during their time of exile, but always longed for the gathering of God's people one day in the Land He had promised.

In the New Testament, we certainly see this in Jesus' ministry as well. He gathers His disciples together to teach and train them, then sends them out. They come back with stories to tell and a renewed hunger to follow Jesus and serve alongside Him. He gathers them for the Last Supper before they flee during His trial and execution. Jesus' resurrection and promised return after His ascension is what naturally binds His people together and prepares them for the exponential growth of the young church at Pentecost. When persecution hits, it only serves God's plan to scatter them to new places where they tell the story of Jesus and what it all means.

Yes, the cycle of being gathered in places of unity and family, then scattered to places of work and play has been in place wherever God's people have been found. Gathered in Temple spaces to be with God. Scattered to Table spaces where we do life with others. It's natural. It's God-honoring. We need both.

Where does this season find our most important gathering place? Simply put, it's around a manger. Why do the shepherds, angels, animals, and Jesus' parents focus so intently on Him? Why do they marvel at such a seemingly small and insignificant event as the birth of a little boy in a backwater town in one little corner of this planet? It is because they are gazing into the radiant glow of pure goodness, mercy, love, and affection that our tender heavenly Father has always held for His creation. And now He's here, in human form. How could you NOT be mesmerized by that? God comes to earth, and gathers all creation to look and see.

This season, we will do the same. We will gather in our Temple space to "come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King." The King is here! Hooray!!! We will also spend time with others in our Table spaces, with opportunities to gather around a real source of celebration: the coming of the Savior of the world. Wherever we go this Advent and Christmas season, God goes with us, our Immanuel.

By now you know that I always sign off with "Adventure is out there!" (see last month's post for more insight into that catchy phrase). But the opposite can be true. Adventure is also "in here." In God's house. Even in our own hearts, His tabernacle within us. Trusting God isn't always easy, but there is plenty of adventure to be found when the King sets off on a quest to invade our hearts with His grace and goodness. Maybe it isn't lost on you that the beginning of the word adventure is Advent, which means "arriving" or simply "coming." When Jesus comes to town and invites YOU to follow Him, there is plenty of adventure to be found. It's my prayer that you know the joy and exhilaration of that journey all throughout the year, but especially at Christmas, because...

Adventure is out there (and in here, too)!
Pastor Aaron