| It's Not Fair! - by Joel Hempel
You don’t have to read the Book of Job to know that life is unfair. From childhood on, we learn that truth. I did not think it was fair that I had only the hand-me-down clothes from my two older brothers. As a thirteen-year-old, I thought everybody was looking at my brother’s navy blue suit I had to wear for my confirmation. But then, I must admit the monetary gifts I received that afternoon eased the pain of my embarrassment. Then, early in my pastoral ministry, that childhood learning took a profound turn downward into the cruelty of life. I’ll never forget sitting in an elders meeting when the door to the room flung open, and the wife of my colleague screamed, Lisa is dead! There is absolutely nothing fair about a 17-year-old, beautiful, bright, and kindhearted girl being brutally murdered by a jealous ex-boyfriend. But it happened, and I was called on to preach at the funeral of the daughter of my friend and pastoral colleague. What could I say that would matter? Standing in the pulpit, I could not look at Marcia or the girl’s family, for their tears immediately released mine. Honestly, I don’t remember what I preached. What I do remember was my reliance on the text, Psalm 73:25-26. What was inflicted upon this daughter of God, her family, and our entire congregation could not be understood, for it was senseless! In our sorrow, the only place to turn was to God, the Father of all mercy. We all know life is sometimes horrific! It can be brutal. We can do all the right things, like Job, and still be stricken with pain and suffering. So, our faith can only be in the ADVENT of the King of Kings who WILL rule in our favor and release us from whatever burden we are called to carry in this life. Our Lord is coming to our rescue! He can’t come fast enough to those who are hurting. And it seems he is slow for no good reason. At such times of understandable doubt, the Spirit of All Comfort pleads with us to trust the truth of Psalm 73:25-26:
Whom have I in heaven but you [O Lord]? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Thank God for Advent. It is our reminder that what is will not always be. If life is good for you, it will be incredibly beautiful and bright beyond our imagination when Christ returns. If life is harsh and burdensome, when Jesus comes for us, we will be ushered into an eternity of joy and freedom from all that is broken. So, the invitation of Advent is to not invest in what can be seen and felt, but in the promise of eternal bliss. For the one who hopes in the God of All Hope will be blessed with solace for their soul. | 
