An Advent Podcast

This year my church, Blanchard Road Alliance in Wheaton, is offering a 5 minute Podcast for each day during the Advent Season. These Podcasts have given me Pause, Stillness, a few moments for Reflection during this often frenetic time of year. They've been a perfect Gift to me. I look forward to each new offering, enjoying recitations of scripture by four-year-olds, stories about forgiveness, hopeful expectation for Emmanuel - God with Us - to come.

Following is a transcript of my Podcast which is featured today at the following link: http://www.blanchardalliance.org/mediaServices/channel321.xml). If, by the way, you're interested in signing up for the free gift of the entire Podcast Compilation, you can do that at http://www.blanchardalliance.org/.

Everlasting Father
An Advent Offering about God as Playful

This morning as I got ready for the day I heard my dad’s voice calling out from our front room, “It’s time for your armpit sandwich, Ayden!” Next I heard the pitter-patter of a chase followed by a capture and shared laughter. Even from upstairs, I knew it wouldn’t be long until Grandpa and Ayden would be feverishly involved in a game of “Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button?”, Flashlight Tag with Ben and Emily, or Ayden’s favorite, “I’m Thinking of Something.”

My dad is one of the most playful, ebullient, joyous, extroverted people I know. He’s one of those twinkly-eyed guys who smiles at babies in line at the mall. He embraces life, always has a good story to tell, an easy laugh, and sees the bright side of everything. Even in his sixties, my dad espouses the huge, uninhibited heart of a child.

His playful spirit has informed my image of God, our Everlasting Father. When I find myself falling into the clichéd trap of seeing God as stoic, unavailable, uuber-serious; I remember my dad. And, I realize that playfulness can be part of God’s character without diminishing his authority, divinity or holiness.

Seeing God this way – through the lens of my hilarious, playful dad – helps vivify the image of our Everlasting Father. So when I read in Psalm 104 that God ‘stretches out the heavens like a tent’ I immediately think of camping with my dad. And, imagine a god who invites us into wild adventurous kinds of connections. The kind of fresh-aired fun families experience under star-lit nights . . . by open fire.

Also, when I read of God incarnate, Jesus, inviting the children to be with Him; I see my dad tickling my son like he did earlier today. And, I imagine Christ yelling “Let the little children come,” as He takes off for an impromptu game of hide-n-go-seek that morphs into a game of leap frog and then a contest to see who can dig up the most worms from a nearby Jerusalem garden.

During Advent – a time of reflective waiting – let us trust that our Everlasting Father will come at Christmas with Joy and Lightness, Playfulness and Love . . . delighting in us and inviting us to be with Him, enjoy Him, enter into blithe and cheer-filled moments of connection with Him.

And, let us likewise invite Him:

Jesus Christ, Immanuel, Everlasting and Playful Father, in our changing world, help us trust your eternal protection and provision and guide others to You.