Almost is a funny word. It’s one of those “glass half full/half empty” things. Almost can mean “oh, it’s almost here….but not yet (pout, pout)” or it can mean “IT’S ALMOST HERE!!! (running around the room in joyous energy). Almost can mean, “oh, you almost got it (the grade, the promotion, the spot on the dart board), but unfortunately you didn’t,” or it can mean “You almost did it! You’re so close. I bet the next time you try….”
Advent is a season of “almost” and our “almost” is almost at an end. Next week is Christmas (gasp). The next email newsletter from University Lutheran (which I know you will absolutely check next Thursday, because that’s the kind of University Lutheran/Jesus superfan that you are) will be a pretty simple message of “Merry Christmas”.
In this, our season of “almost”, there’s a reality to the “almost” in our lives. There are “almosts” that are disappointing, things that barely missed the mark, but nonetheless did. There are moments when we came in second instead of first. There are moments where we sinned, literally a word meaning “missing the mark”. We have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We’ve come up short, missed the freethrow, kicked it wide right. This kind of almost disappoints us, but to make it even worse, we know it disappoints God. Almost, but not there.
But let’s not forget about the “other almost,” – the almost that gets excited because we did make it to almost. You probably did pretty well in some ways this year. Your righteousness wasn’t complete, you weren’t Jesus, but you saw some progress. Maybe you prayed a little more, read Scripture a little more, helped a few more people out, showed up to worship a little more often, did something noble instead of just going with the flow. You realize that you’re not perfect, but there’s something to say about “almost” there. Jesus helped you to get there. He gave you His Holy Spirit and you were able to get to “almost”.
There’s another “almost” as well. The almost of Jesus’ arrival, an almost that we can get giddy about like a kid who realizes that it is “almost” Christmas and those presents under the tree are “almost” about to get ripped open. That is our almost as well as we look forward to Jesus’ arrival, which by the way…is almost here.