Your world is ending: thoughts on Valor & Advent

            Our marriage counselor once said, "Emotions are leading indicators of what is happening at a deeper level in your life and relationships."  During the first week of Advent each year my emotions feel like they get hit by a bus.  Advent means "coming" and begins the Christian calendar with a focus on Jesus' first and second coming at Christmas and Final Judgment, respectively.  
            The gospel reading for the first Sunday of Advent declares, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:29-30). In the broader context, Jesus is predicting both the destruction of the temple within a generation and the end of the world at an unknown future time of God's choosing.  During this last week of Jesus' life, he is effectively proclaiming, "Your world is going to end.  Here's how to prepare."  Nothing like the destruction of the world to get you in the mood for a little Christmas shopping.
           Reflecting on the last 8 months since Valor's Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) diagnosis, I have felt similar emotions to Jesus' disciples hearing his words.  Most people get their terminal diagnosis and likely cause of death after a relatively full life.  Valor received his likely terminal diagnosis at 6 months of age, not at 70 or 80. And yet he's still alive and growing. "Your world is going to end. Here's how to prepare."
            Just as Jesus' disciples sat with his message of destruction and new birth 40 years (in the case of the temple: destroyed in 70 A.D.) and 1990 years and counting (in the case of the end of this world), we also have sat with Valor's diagnosis and new way of life for 8 months now. What could Jesus possibly intend in this delayed destruction and renewal of creation? Perhaps Valor's diagnosis can help us better understand Advent and vice versa.  Here's 7 things I've learned after reflecting on the emotional bus of Advent and Valor's diagnosis:
 
1. Be prepared: We prepare for fires, tornadoes and flooding.  We should also prepare for death and final judgment.  Pretending death won't happen isn't loving.  It's cruel denial.  Medical and spiritual preparation has been one of the blessings of Valor's early diagnosis.  Thankfully Jesus is the architect of a new ark, forged by his own death and resurrection, that can endure the flood waters of death for all who repent and trust him.
2. We live in God's world. He doesn't live in ours: Before Valor was diagnosed, we tried numerous techniques to help him live in our world--feeding techniques, medicine techniques, sleeping techniques.  After Valor was diagnosed, we realized none of our techniques could overcome Valor's malformed genetic structure.  He needed his own dietary regimen, hospital regimen and medicinal regimen.  Or he will die.  Similarly we must adjust to God's world. Or we will die.
3. Time sifts priorities and values: When we got home from the hospital 8 months ago, we planned to keep Valor in a sanitary play pen away from people as much as possible, especially if they were sick.  In the 8 months since, nothing cheers Valor up like getting to play with and be hugged by his 4 brothers and sisters, whether in the play pen or on Facetime from his hospital room.  Love and affection have proven more valuable than strict sanitation.
4. Life will always be partial and fragile now, but full and indestructible at Jesus' return:  It's easy to become resentful or confused why Jesus allows suffering, evil and sin to continue, including Valor's suffering.  But this is to be ungrateful for what Jesus has already accomplished and impatient with what he has not yet accomplished.  Jesus is still painting.  Don't rush the masterpiece.
5. God is growing something: Have you ever eaten fruit before it was ripe? It tastes awful. In a similar way with Valor and the end of the world, Jesus uses the seasonal growing of figs to explain his delay (Matthew 24:32-33). The harvest will come.  But first the fruit God desires must grow and ripen.
6. We have a treasure to guard: Jesus describes his return and the completion of his work as "coming like a thief in the night."  The presence of a thief presumes we have a treasure to guard from theft or loss. The treasure is variously described in Matthew 25 as a divine marriage feast, eternal heavenly joy and an immortal inheritance.  We wouldn't  miss sitting down with Valor and Jesus for the heavenly wedding feast. I hope you won't miss either.
7. It is possible to die and grow at the same time. St. Paul did it regularly: When people ask how Valor is doing, I sometimes respond, "Dying and growing. Dying and growing." He's been to the hospital for extended stays 7 times in 14 months. Without modern medicine, he would be dead.  And yet he's growing, smiling and laughing.