According to the Spanish maid in Sabrina, it takes 11 years to adjust to a new culture. For the Tennessee Volunteers, it takes 11 years to beat the Gators. But the good news is, it happened! The wait is over! The losing streak to the Gators felt, to many, like the intertestamental period before the Messiah finally came. Well, the maid is perfectly adjusted to life in Long Island, the Volunteers showed the swamp dwellers what’s up, and the Messiah is here. All Advents fulfilled.
Advent is not far off (is it really October already?), and it’s always an interesting challenge to talk about, practice, or just plain celebrate without getting lost in a candy cane forest. So I thought it would be good to start planning now. Because the real intertestamental period, not to say the past 11 years was no big deal for UT fans, but the real waiting for redemption was over 400 years. No sign of a Savior except some prophecies that they were a little confused about, mostly because they didn’t sound like what the people wanted to hear. Set aside the pain of waiting for a proper quarterback (Dobbs, we salute you) and meditate on waiting for the Hope of the world.
Have you ever wondered why God’s glorious birth announcement, filled with the rare tangible experience of God’s glory, was given to a bunch of shepherds? I mean, it was the original occupation of Israel, but by the time Jesus was born, nobody wanted to be a shepherd, and few people wanted to hang out with them. It was something that no college or technical school would offer a program for, because no one would pay for it. It was the job for the youngest son, whose inheritance was nothing compared to his brothers’ and whose life was not expected to go anywhere but the next patch of green overgrowth.
This year, The WordPlayers will be presenting another original Advent touring show. This one delves into the shepherds, with a twist. Watch our website for a chance to come see West of Bethlehem. Better yet, book us to come to your Church or gathering, and enjoy the music, the truth, and a fresh reminder of the most glorious birth event in history. And, perhaps, come to find why God would send the biggest announcement ever given to the lowest of the low.
Talk to me.
Ethan Norman
Artistic Associate, The WordPlayers
ethanwordplayers@comcast.net