One winter season our family had an unwanted and a surprise guest in our house.  A mallard duck somehow made her way into our chimney but could find no passage of escape!  The contour of the chimney made exiting impossible and the glass covering the fireplace opening prevented exiting in that direction....thankfully for the home dwellers!     One early morning Karen and I were abrubtly awakened by a horrible racket seemingly coming from our living room.   As we got up and further inspected, we noticed this fowl in our fireplace!    So, what to do?!  We finally came up with a plan.   Karen would open the glass covering while I would move in with a blanket and capture the bird.   It worked!  I grabbed the mallard, which was exhausted by this time with lack of food and water coupled with repeated efforts at "prison-breaking," and took her to our front porch.  As I opened the blanket she spread her wings and headed in flight toward a nearby lake.   Finally she was free.   At last she was liberated.  Yet, without outside intervention she would never have made it.

As we wait this Advent Season....waiting for Christmas, and more specifically waiting for the arrival of Christ, may we be reminded that we, imprisoned in our addictions and idolatries, cannot liberate ourselves.  Jesus comes to set us free!  God, thankfully and graciously, invades our world and our egos in order that we might be liberated and rescued!  This is the joyous anticipation of Advent, even in the very center of waiting and wondering.......Jesus...Immanuel....God with us....Savior of the world.....is coming to our world....to live in our hearts....to rescue us from sin and self....to set us free!  As I remember and reflect upon the beauty of the mallard taking flight after being freed, I am given a picture, an image, that deeply encourages my soul!  Our deliverer is coming!  Help is on the way!