December 2020
For Unto Us . . .
19 December 2020 @ 16:57
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:3-5 NRSV).
Our salvation is brought about not through wholeness, but through a broken body. Christ died and was raised, not to prevent us from grieving, but so that our brokenness would be redeemed, our faults would not define us, and our sadness would not be the end of the story.
This is what happens when you let Christ in. Christ transforms fear itself into an embodiment of hope.
When the poor are vilified or assumed to be lazy, when the only solution to systemic poverty is working harder in a system that favors the prosperous, when our mission and outreach only consist of a meal for the poor instead of a place at the table with the poor, we risk God’s kingdom being foreign to us.
Sometimes our Christmas missions miss the mark. We are so quick to offer the less fortunate gifts for stockings rather than a place at our table and room in our lives because gifts in a stocking are the extent of our limited vision of what Christ being born means.
At its heart, the first Nativity is a story born out of poverty, where scarcity is transformed into abundance by a God who will stop at nothing to be with us.
The angels appeared in the heavens, not saying, “In those days . . .”—rather they proclaimed, “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NRSV, emphasis mine). In those days the palace ruled the world, but on this day the world is being turned upside down. In those days the shepherds were less than unimportant, but on this day, the shepherds received a gift of the kingdom of God! In those days we simply read about a miracle. On this day we expect one. In those days we tried to make our traditions and material gifts perfect. On this day we let go of the anxiety of making things perfect so that we can make room for a perfect God. In those days our Christmas list was full of material things for friends, family, coworkers. On this day our list contains what Jesus wants. It is his birthday, after all. Jesus wants the proclamation of good news, release, recovery, freedom, and favor. In those days we worried about what’s under the tree instead of the tree itself. On this day we see clearly the Giver of Life.
The Christmas story is the story about a miracle. . . . God decided to put on human flesh so that we could inherit the eternal, a kingdom full of life, built by grace on a foundation of love and justice.
Gracious God, fill us with your joy, the steadfast assurance that you are with us. Help us to remember that this is a holy time, not due to our preparations or celebrations, but because you have chosen to walk among us. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Christ doesn’t call us to provide a handout. Christ calls us to be with the lowly because it is where Christ is and Christ is inviting us to dwell with him. If you are hungry for the light of Christ, then go to where Christ is. God will be there, and if you hear the sound of silence, speak, because God is listening.
Faith is not a protective bubble against the dark places of the world. If it were, God would have never allowed himself to be raised by a pair of human, fallible, everyday, albeit blessed, parents.
While giving another a meal at Christmas is nice it is more important to give them a place at the table
Isaiah 9
6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
Our salvation is brought about not through wholeness, but through a broken body. Christ died and was raised, not to prevent us from grieving, but so that our brokenness would be redeemed, our faults would not define us, and our sadness would not be the end of the story.
This is what happens when you let Christ in. Christ transforms fear itself into an embodiment of hope.
When the poor are vilified or assumed to be lazy, when the only solution to systemic poverty is working harder in a system that favors the prosperous, when our mission and outreach only consist of a meal for the poor instead of a place at the table with the poor, we risk God’s kingdom being foreign to us.
Sometimes our Christmas missions miss the mark. We are so quick to offer the less fortunate gifts for stockings rather than a place at our table and room in our lives because gifts in a stocking are the extent of our limited vision of what Christ being born means.
At its heart, the first Nativity is a story born out of poverty, where scarcity is transformed into abundance by a God who will stop at nothing to be with us.
The angels appeared in the heavens, not saying, “In those days . . .”—rather they proclaimed, “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NRSV, emphasis mine). In those days the palace ruled the world, but on this day the world is being turned upside down. In those days the shepherds were less than unimportant, but on this day, the shepherds received a gift of the kingdom of God! In those days we simply read about a miracle. On this day we expect one. In those days we tried to make our traditions and material gifts perfect. On this day we let go of the anxiety of making things perfect so that we can make room for a perfect God. In those days our Christmas list was full of material things for friends, family, coworkers. On this day our list contains what Jesus wants. It is his birthday, after all. Jesus wants the proclamation of good news, release, recovery, freedom, and favor. In those days we worried about what’s under the tree instead of the tree itself. On this day we see clearly the Giver of Life.
The Christmas story is the story about a miracle. . . . God decided to put on human flesh so that we could inherit the eternal, a kingdom full of life, built by grace on a foundation of love and justice.
Gracious God, fill us with your joy, the steadfast assurance that you are with us. Help us to remember that this is a holy time, not due to our preparations or celebrations, but because you have chosen to walk among us. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Christ doesn’t call us to provide a handout. Christ calls us to be with the lowly because it is where Christ is and Christ is inviting us to dwell with him. If you are hungry for the light of Christ, then go to where Christ is. God will be there, and if you hear the sound of silence, speak, because God is listening.
Faith is not a protective bubble against the dark places of the world. If it were, God would have never allowed himself to be raised by a pair of human, fallible, everyday, albeit blessed, parents.
While giving another a meal at Christmas is nice it is more important to give them a place at the table
Isaiah 9
6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
Quick Thought
12 December 2020 @ 10:12
May it never be about what we’re getting for Christmas. Instead, may it be about what we’re giving. May it be about becoming the hands and feet and voice of hope and justice to those who are struggling; to those who are hurting; to those who are marginalized and oppressed. In that way we more perfectly reflect the gift of Hope born into our world that we celebrate at Christmas in the birth of Jesus.
Woody