Keeping Secrets

"Tell no one the vision . . ." Tell no one.

Has anyone ever shared some truly amazing news with you, only to ask that you keep it to yourself until further notice? I will never forget when a dear friend confided that she was pregnant after many years of trying to conceive. I was overjoyed for her, and couldn't wait to celebrate with our greater community about her long hoped-for child. My baby bonanza bubble was burst pretty quickly, however, as I heard her fervent request: "Please don't tell anyone yet." There were a few things she and her husband were waiting on before making a public announcement. I smiled knowingly and wholeheartedly agreed to keep her confidence. "Of course," I assured her. "No problem!"

It was quite easy to keep The Secret at first, but as the days and weeks rolled by, it became excruciating: I. must. tell. someone. the. good. news. NOW!!! Ultimately I kept my lip zipped out of love for my friend and her wishes. Simply put, it wasn't my news to share.

In today's Gospel, Saints Peter, James, and John are undoubtedly still flying high from experiencing the single most amazing event of their lives—they saw Jesus transfigured in front of their very eyes and revealed as The Son of God. And not only that, they saw Him conversing with Moses and Elijah, two giants of the faith. No big deal, right?? And yet . . . they were directly instructed (by Almighty God Himself, mind you) to tell no one—not even their brother Apostles about what they had seen! Can you imagine?

Matthew: "Hey, James! How was it up on the mountain with Jesus? Anything cool happen?"
James (uncomfortably): "Uh, hey, Matthew. Uh. Yeah—it was great. Nothing much happened, really . . . Uh . . . Except . . . (excitedly) Jesus's whole body started glowing with the intensity of a thousand suns and He was just hanging out with Moses and Elijah!! (GASP!) Augh! I wasn't supposed to tell! Please don't tell anyone I said anything!"
Matthew (nods, turns sheepishly): "Oh, h-hey there, J-Jesus! We didn't see You standing there!"

Truly, this time of year is not unlike what the Apostles experienced in today's Gospel. Advent is a time of great waiting, wonder and heightened expectation. But, unlike Peter, James, and John, who truly had no idea exactly what they were waiting for or precisely how long it would take, we have the tremendous gift of knowing not just what but for Whom we are waiting. It's no secret—JESUS in coming, our long-awaited Messiah, and He will be here sooner than we know it!

What are you doing to prepare your heart to welcome this long-expected baby, this Messiah, this Savior, Christ the Lord? Does everyone know you are waiting for Him this Advent, or is it a very well-kept secret, tucked between the holiday party invites and the half-baked crafting ideas? Don't be afraid to spill the beans, sweet sister! Tell a friend, post it, pin it, tweet it—Maranatha—Come, Lord Jesus! This Good News belongs to all people, and is definitely yours to share.

photo credit // source

Heather Anderson Renshaw is currently not drinking enough [coffee] to keep up with her five young kiddos in the wilds of the Pacific NW. You can find out more about her here.