Minor to Major: Reflections on Advent
We are currently in the season of Advent. Advent is a word that comes from the Latin language that means “coming” or “arrival”. As Christians, we have celebrated Advent since the 4th century and it has taken on various meanings throughout our observance of it. Early on it was a preparation for those getting ready for baptism or was tied to Christ’s promised return. In the Middle Ages, it was linked to thinking about Christ’s first coming and was connected with Christmas time.
Throughout each era of observing Advent, there has been anticipation. I guess we could say that in each season of the history of God’s people we are reminded that there has been waiting. There was an expectancy of what was to come or arrive. Ultimately, there was the tension of the past, present, and future, and Advent gave the opportunity to reflect on what was, what is, and what will be.
This Advent season I have been reflecting on the many tensions that are in our lives and how the hope, peace, joy, love, and light of the season have intersected with these tensions.
We have experienced immense joys from this last year as our family expanded with the gift of our son, Jacen Judah. We also encountered the grief and sorrow of loss this year through many unforeseen changes and mistreatments in our lives. We have recently been feeling new hope arise in this season with current and future changes happening as well.
In all of these things, there has been the beauty of Advent: an arrival. There has been a constant promise of “coming” that has met in us in the lowest lows and highest highs. This promise, rather this Presence, has not only been with us, but has transformed, redeemed, and created a way in which there seemed to be no way.
This is ultimately the Good News of Advent and Christmas: in the midst of the impossible, God came to be with us and make all things new and good. And the Good News doesn’t stop at Christmas, but it lasts throughout the year, our lives, and eternity. The Lord continues to revitalize the places of tension in our lives and release His transforming grace to turn our minors into majors.
Recently, I was reading a beautiful Advent Devotional that BIOLA University created and the author mentioned knowing what it was like to live in the seasons of life written in the minor key.
This hit me because I live in a house where Christmas music is played as soon as possible in the year. There can any number of Christmas songs played, but there are certain ones that are skipped every time they come on. To help this blog be noncontroversial I will keep those songs anonymous, but they all have one thing in common: they are written in minor keys.
From the small amount I know about music theory, minor keys are written to leave you with emotions of tension and sadness. You can feel the weight of the dreary notes and chords and can only hope for resolve in the music. These are not the most popular songs, but they are effective in communicating a message or relaying a feeling.
One of the weird things about music theory is that minor keys and major keys are sometimes hard to distinguish. I have learned that the way you tell the difference is by looking at the first and last notes in a song. Some songs start on a minor chord, but if they end on a major, it would point to the key being major. However, when both notes or chords are minor, we know the song is in a minor key.
I think we can all agree that life does not always feel like we are living in a major key. We don’t always walk around with puppies, sunshine, flowers, and the good stuff. We are hit with loss, grief, pain, sorrow, and many things that resemble a minor key song. We are left in tension feeling hopelessness, chaos, anguish, anger, and waiting for things to resolve.
As I reflect on Advent this year, I find myself rejoicing in the arrival of Emmanuel all the more because of how His Presence and Promise have enveloped and indwelt my minor key season of life. Where the lowness of the season sounds, His hope meets me there. When confusion and mystery settle in, His peace reminds me of the truth. While I feel the depths of loss, He greets my mourning with comfort and joy. God with Us exchanges my fear and pain for love and light, and once again I find the beauty of Advent, Christmas, and the song of life: Jesus turns my minors into majors.
The gloriously Good News of Advent is that because of the Lord’s transforming grace all of our minor key songs are made into major key songs. The music might start on a minor, but the finished work of Jesus sings loudly and clearly in a major key. Although there might be minor notes, the hope, peace, joy, love, and light of Christ are how the song ends, and ultimately, continues on forever.
Beloved, this Advent and Christmas season, I want to encourage you to the beautiful reality we have as followers of Christ Jesus. He has come and He has changed everything. And He is coming again. All of our minors find resolve in His arrival. Whether it’s from the past, present, or unknown future, we have a song that we are invited to hear sung over us and to join in with all of heaven and earth. This song might feel minor at times or even have low moments in it, but the music always resolves in the Lord and now we have a reason to sing in every season.
So, if this Advent season feels like all is calm and bright, sing loudly. If this Christmas season feels difficult and full of unresolved tension, sing loudly. No matter if our notes feel major or minor, the Good News is the Lord takes what we sing and transforms it into an anthem full of His hope, peace, joy, love, and light.
Beloved, rejoice. Emmanuel has come and He’s coming again. He turns our minors into majors. And that’s Good News. Amen.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-4
“I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” Psalm 30:1-12
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” Revelation 7:9-17
