Advent Devotional by Jennifer Dilts

Philippians 3:7-11

But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless … I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. (Philippians 3:7-9)

I started tap dancing again this fall. Ridiculous, right? Every Wednesday night, eleven women and I dance for an hour. We are all solidly middle-aged, as my daughter, Lydia, is fond of telling me. (Hey Lydia, you can stop reminding me because my soreness after the class is reminder enough!) My classmates and I all have families, jobs, and other responsibilities. At the end of our tap dancing hour, we haven’t crossed anything off of our seemingly endless to-do lists. And yet, we walk out of the dance studio feeling a little lighter. For that hour, we have done something that we loved to do when we were much younger, something that we all probably thought we would never do again. The absurdity of it! Tap dancing is frivolous, for sure. The sounds that my shoes make against the hardwood floor are so fun. That’s me making those sounds, making my feet do those steps. Whatever else has happened during the week, for that one hour, I am dancing. And, when I’m trying to make my feet tap really fast to a little-known Michael Jackson song, it’s hard to think about much else. I am PRESENT doing that routine, taking delight in what my body can do.

In today’s scripture, Paul talks about reordering his priorities and his realization that our acceptance from God doesn’t hinge on our good works. What a relief, right? Did God call me to my tap dancing class? I’m not sure. But I do feel that God is calling all of us to be present in the moments that we have been given today. I believe that God is calling us to find joy today, regardless of whatever else is happening. The Christmas season is in full swing. Things are likely BUSY. You have to-do lists, to be sure. Today, I invite you to take a breath. And then another. Take a walk outside without your phone. Sit in the dark in front of your Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate. Invite God into your space. See what happens.

Jennifer Dilts