I fully admit I am a “Johnny come lately” to all things liturgical. Growing up Pentecostal and fundamentalist, I honestly have good experiences. I’ve long said I’m not a bitter, recovering Pentecostal. But I am handicapped. I thought all the liturgical churches were bound for hell. As I’ve grown up I’ve realized I don’t need to chuck out my Pentecostal roots to embrace liturgical practices.

But, I am “late” to the game. So, Advent is still new to me, though I’ve worked to focus on it the past few years in my ministry. And I know that today is NOT the first Sunday of Advent. I know it is “Christ the King” Sunday.

However, my reading in Barth coincides in a nice way with Advent. I am currently slogging my way through Vol. II.1 (The Doctrine of God) and Barth is writing on the readiness of God to reveal himself to humanity. The flip side must be considered: the readiness of man. Are we ready to face this God?

“As we have see, the readiness of God is God’s grace. Hence the readiness of man must obviously be his readiness for grace.” 

We have to be open to his grace.

In Advent, we remember that in the first coming God’s own people missed the coming of Messiah. They simply were not ready. God was ready. They were not.

Today is Christ the King Sunday. We need this day to recognize HE is the One who is KING. He calls the shots. Are we ready for that kind of allegiance in our lives?

Then, we turn to Advent. In the time of Jesus’ birth there was so much activity going on there was not much thought to the coming of a baby. In our day, we are so full of activity, we are losing our ability to be truly ready for his coming again.

We need his grace more than ever.

Get ready.