“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a
light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
This
verse, plus a number of pictures of other stoles, inspired the design for my
new Advent stole. Stoles help me and my
congregation to mark the passage of time through the Christian calendar. Like people wear snowman earrings during
December or red, white, and blue on 4th of July, pastors in
robe-wearing-churches wear stoles to remind us of the season.
My mom
and I created this stole. It is purple,
the traditional color of fasting and penitence and the color of the royalty of
the coming king. It also has some blue,
a newer Advent color of hope and anticipation.
It
features a road for the people walking in darkness. And it is the journey that we are all on, the
journey of waiting and expectation, living in the already-but-not-yet.
And at the end of the road is the star. I chose this star, a natal star cross,
because it is a 4 pointed star Bethlehem star plus a cross. It reminds us that the light came as a baby
in Bethlehem, but he brought light to the whole world through his death and
resurrection.
As we
walk the journey of Advent this year, I pray that we would be reminded that God
is faithful to his promises. The people
walking in darkness have seen a great light.
And God will remain faithful and come again to make everything new.
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