God.

We are scared and relieved and anxious and anticipating and hopeful and desperate.

All at the same time.

We are like your people have always been.

Except that they all know how their part of the story ended.

And we do not.

We know that Mary and Elizabeth were uncertain and then scared and then rejoiced.

And then wondered.

We know that the words of the prophets came to them and were said by them without them knowing, sometimes, what the words and the ideas and the promises meant.

They died without knowing, sometimes.

God.

We confess that we don’t like not knowing what is going to come.

We confess that we are sometimes glad we don’t know what is going to come.

We confess that we make stuff up about what going to come.

We confess that we worry way to much about what might come.

This week, as we wait for Christmas, as we wait for you,

may we know more of you, more of your love, more of your presence, more of your peace.

May we know your powerful and gentle presence within and between and among us.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.