Devotion for November 2, 2021

Hebrews 9:24-28
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

 Once the weather starts to make a shift towards cooler temperatures, it signals to me that the holidays are upon us. Maybe it is the smell of a fire in someone’s fireplace, the extra layer I carry or the crunch of dry leaves on the ground that tells me it’s time to prepare for the holidays, family gatherings and the joy I find in these days. It is undeniable that once the Halloween candy fills the aisles, I begin to eagerly anticipate the season ahead.

The external cues help me prepare but if the weather turns cool later my preparation is delayed and my sense of joy in the season is lessened. The writer in Hebrews reminds the reader of all that the Christ has done and mentions those “who are eagerly waiting for him.” Much like I await external cues, not acting with intentionality can lessen my sense of joy in the holidays, I suspect we too can be guilty of missing the glory of God if we are not eagerly waiting for the presence of Christ in or through us each day. May our actions be reflective of the Christ others are waiting for and may we seek the Christ in others each day.