Love Surprises Us

Read MATTHEW 24:36-44

FROM THE ARTIST | SARAH ARE

When I was a little girl, my mom asked me to recount the best

part of my day every night before bed. If I had a bad day I would
promptly tell her that nothing was good. There were zero positive
moments. However, my patient mother would not accept that
answer. Before I could sleep, I had to name at least one thing worth
celebrating. This ritual taught me to look for the good in my days,
and in many ways, I think that is what this text is inviting us to do.
For years people have wondered how to interpret this particular
scripture. Is it implying that God will come and some will be left
behind, or that some are being called forward into new lives with
new vocational callings? How do we understand verbs such as

“taken” or “keep awake”?

When I read this scripture, the thing that stands out is how love
surprises us. Throughout scripture, God’s love for this world and for
humanity shocks the system. Tables are turned, people are healed, the
outcasts are seen, children are welcomed, and boundaries are broken.
In this Advent season, I think we are invited to look for God in our
midst—to look for the surprising places that love shows up. We are
challenged to stay awake so that life and the divine do not pass us by.
The repetitive language of fields and water led me to create the line
drawings around the text. As I began to draw, I was able to see the
worker’s fields described in the text, as well as the Shepherd’s fields,
and the scenery Mary and Joseph may have passed on their way
to Bethlehem. These simple lines serve as a reminder that God’s

surprising love and grace shows up in ordinary places along the way.

Prayer: In quiet contemplation, print out and color in the picture below, reflecting on how the imagery illuminates what you find in the scripture and
artist’s statement. Conclude with a silent or spoken prayer to God.