You know, it seems like everyone is looking for a savior.
Tebow-mania is sweeping the NFL.
Mike Leach is going to lead the Cougs to a Rose Bowl.
Price Fielder is going to fix the Mariners offense.
The next President is going to fix the economy.
The next pastor is going to grow the church.
The next girlfriend (or boyfriend) is going to be "the one".
Yup, we love us some saviors.
It makes me think about Advent, the season of waiting for the birth of Jesus. How ingrained in us is a sense that all is not well? How is it that we, the most technologically advanced, most educated, most self-sufficient society in human history are still so hungry to have someone come in and take us to the promised land?
It seems to me, that no matter how much we accomplish or learn, we intuitively know that we cannot save ourselves.
So we look. And look. And look.
We size up every potential savior and wonder whether they can really deliver the goods. This happened to Jesus all the time. Our desperation leads us to cling to every possible savior, then turn on them when they fail to deliver on our hopes.
I have to fight this urge all the time. Without being careful, I can get caught up in pep rallies for coaches, baseball hot stove, Christian authors or promising politicians.
Jesus relentlessly insisted that He was the only savior. He's the gate (John 10:9), He's the vine (John 15:5), He's the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). I wonder if the reason He told parables about how foolish accumulating money was to a poor audience was to say, "Even if you were wealthy, you would still need saving. Money and security are false saviors".
Advent is the season of waiting...waiting for our true and only savior. Happy waiting everyone!
