All Creation Waits

On cold days like this, with winter storms approaching, most people I know tend to seek out a cozy spot indoors, away from the bitter realities of the season. Of course, some of you may love the weather and the feel of cold air as it enters your lungs on a sunny afternoon run. The rest of us may not even want to sit by a window. With no snow on the ground, the garden beds cleared, and almost all the leaves raked, it can be easy to assume there isn’t much to see besides a drab, lifeless landscape. But there is so much more going on beneath the surface. 

If you have been around St. Mark at all, you have certainly seen all the advent resources that are available this year. For adults and teens, we have a devotional and a color-in calendar full of activity ideas, based on the theme “…From Generation to Generation.” For kids, there is a devotional with a matching paper-chain project titled “The Adverbs of Advent.” There is enough to go on here, but in light of the coming winter chill, I feel the need to direct you to one more resource.  

This year, our own synod of the ELCA has produced a daily video series based on the book, All Creation Waits, by Gayle Boss. Each day, pastors and musicians from the Northern Illinois Synod provide songs, prayers, and a reading from the book. You can find the whole series, including the first 8 days, at this link: https://www.youtube.com/c/NISynodorg 

The book itself is an intriguing read. On first glance, each of the 25 essays appears to be a simple reflection on the wildlife of North America. From bears and foxes to wild turkeys and fireflies, the book slowly dives deep into the surface of the earth to explore how our animal neighbors endure the harsh and difficult season of winter. The whole devotional series is a reminder that though the world outside our windows may seem barren, God’s creation continues to teem with life. 

Winter can make us feel hopeless. The lack of sunlight, the absence of plants and fair-weather creatures, and the harsh weather can easily bring us down. It is even worse when our minds are clouded with worry and our hearts are filled with grief. Whether we hunger for peace or hunger for food, we wait with all creation for something to bring us relief. Sometimes it arrives in the form of sustenance and shelter. And sometimes it arrives as a child, wrapped in swaddling cloths and spending his first night among the animals. 

Explore the video devotional series here: https://www.youtube.com/c/NISynodorg

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna