The week after Christmas has always struck me as a rather odd period. Although some folks (especially retailers) go immediately back to work, it’s common for other folks to save enough vacation days to remain off through the New Year’s holiday.
After all the commercial (and occasionally religious) lead-up to Christmas, we have a bit of a “down” period prior to the next big holiday. For some people, it can be really depressing. For others, it’s a chance to take any cash they received as gifts to the after-Christmas sales. For many (like us), it’s mainly an opportunity to spend time with family and friends before the routine begins anew.
It reminds me of the way some New Testament theologians speak of the time between Jesus’ ascension and his promised return as an “in-between time,” a time that includes elements of both “already” and “not yet.”
If the in-betweeness of the days make us feel a little out of kilter, may that serve as a reminder that there are things God has already called us to do that we have not yet done. This week might be a good time to start.
Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, and the Contributing Editor and Curriculum Writer at Good Faith Media.
