It’s that eclectic week between Christmas and the New Year. Some of you are already back to work while others are enjoying an extended vacation or burning those “use it or lose it” PTO hours.
Regardless of your situation, this “in between” week is always kind of strange. The world is starting to re-emerge from its Christmas slumber, but it isn’t quite fully back to life yet. (Yes, I know the historic church calendar celebrates 12 days of Christmas, but roll with me here).
As Christians, we are “in-between” people. We look back on the coming of Jesus the Messiah. Christ has come! “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14 MSG).
And…
We look forward to Christ coming again! Christ’s Kingdom is already here, but not yet in its eternal fullness. This “already-but-not-yet” reality is where we find ourselves today – charged with a calling to embody and proclaim Jesus in this great overlap. This in between.
That’s our charge as followers of Jesus in every sphere of this life – including the marketplace. We are the first fruit, the buds on the trees announcing that spring is coming! This underlying truth frames everything we do and say.
Keep looking back at the finished work of Jesus, keep abiding in Jesus, and keep pointing others to Jesus. Christ has come and Christ will come again. We are called to live faithfully as the people of God in the in-between.