The biggest movie of the holiday season is the first installment of the long-awaited adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, directed by Peter Jackson (who brought us The Lord of the Rings a decade ago). The first Hobbit film, as its title suggests, is about an “unexpected journey.” Advent is a time of year when we reflect on the unexpected journey that led to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and the unexpected journeys that lie ahead as we await the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. LinC talks about the unpredictable adventures that we have as we follow Jesus on a journey of faith. Key Scriptures: Exodus 3:1—4:17; Matthew 2:13-23; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-8. We all know that December 25 is Christmas; but in many countries December 26 is also a holiday. It’s called Boxing Day and refers to the boxes containing gifts that wealthy patrons would give their servants on the day after Christmas. Much like Christmas, the day has turned into a retail holiday. It’s not unusual for what is truly important to be overshadowed by frivilous matters. We often overlook people and situations that God cares about and focus instead on our personal comforts and desires. Next week we’ll talk about some of the people and things we overlook and ways we can bring them out of the shadows.
