Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness will not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light. (John 12:35-36, NRSV)
My friend Marcus is a pastor in South Florida. He’s a fan of the Miami Hurricanes but not a fan of the real hurricanes that threaten places like Miami and his own town of Boca Raton.
One of the things that Marcus would tell you is that it’s the preparation you do before the hurricane that largely determines how well you will endure the hurricane itself. Before the storm arrives, it’s important to board up the windows, secure the patio furniture, make sure you have emergency supplies of water, medicines, food, and flashlights. If you wait until the hurricane arrives to do these things, it’s too little too late.
We don’t worry too much about hurricanes in Tennessee but Marcus’ words about storm preparations are every bit as important.
In our scripture today, Jesus is foreshadowing his own death. He wants his disciples to know that a storm is coming and it’s important that they use this time before his death to prepare…so that the darkness of his death does not overtake them.
Advent is the season when we prepare for the many ways that Christ the Light comes to us. And when we take advantage of this season of preparation, we’ll better handle whatever darkness might be looming somewhere down the road.
May God grant us the grace to prepare, not just for the ways that Christ comes, but for whatever darkness may be coming as well.
