What amazes me about the Christmas story is how perfectly normal people, who try to live their lives as best they can, are brought together by God. They are brought together because in the birth of Jesus, we learn several important things.
First is that humans, all humans, even the lowest people on the social and economic ladder, which in the Christmas story were the shepherds, are loved by God. This means that all of us our loved by the Creator of the universe. Second is that all of us, no matter what we have done in our lives, are beyond salvation by God. Moreover, God brings together not just the world’s powerful people to do his work, but more often than not, he brings together the young and the outcast to see his workings happen in the world.
Third is that God doesn’t simply love us, but God has offers to us eternal life. Meaning that in his love and salvation, God will give eternal life to all.
Christmas is important to Christians because when we look out upon the vast night sky filled with star and galaxies, we have hope. Understanding that our earth is one planet in a solar system that is on the outskirts of a galaxy that is on the fringe of the universe, we have hope. Our hope rests in the fact that in a far away country, in a little town, in a small manger a young woman gave birth to the hope of the world. The hope was and is this: God loves us so much that he sent to our world his son as a baby, so that all of us no matter who were are or what we’ve done can still be loved by God.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Joseph
I wonder what it must have been like for Joseph. Many historians say that he was married previously and had children which meant that he was a widower. How fortunate he must have thought he was to find, fall in love with and then engaged to marry Mary. How lucky he must have thought he was to have lost the love of his life, his partner and the mother of his children, and find another woman to be his wife, partner and mother.
Then he discovers that Mary is pregnant. He must have been thrown into the throes of confusion. Do I keep Mary as my wife? Or do I quietly let her go? He resolves to let her go. The measure of Joseph is that he chooses to let her go quietly so that she is not disgraced. Still, he must have been conflicted. It all comes to a head one night; in a dream God speaks to him. God says that he should still marry Mary.
When Joseph awakes, he returns to Mary and reaffirms his desire to wed her. We can only imagine the joy that both of them felt. Mary's interaction with the angel was affirmed by Joseph's dream. Excitedly they wait for the baby. And then they learned that they must travel to Bethlehem. It's no easy road to Christmas for these two people. It's no easy road for us either: the shopping, the malls, the rushing from here to there; the parties; the relatives; and the tree. How can we forget the tree?
Then he discovers that Mary is pregnant. He must have been thrown into the throes of confusion. Do I keep Mary as my wife? Or do I quietly let her go? He resolves to let her go. The measure of Joseph is that he chooses to let her go quietly so that she is not disgraced. Still, he must have been conflicted. It all comes to a head one night; in a dream God speaks to him. God says that he should still marry Mary.
When Joseph awakes, he returns to Mary and reaffirms his desire to wed her. We can only imagine the joy that both of them felt. Mary's interaction with the angel was affirmed by Joseph's dream. Excitedly they wait for the baby. And then they learned that they must travel to Bethlehem. It's no easy road to Christmas for these two people. It's no easy road for us either: the shopping, the malls, the rushing from here to there; the parties; the relatives; and the tree. How can we forget the tree?
Friday, December 5, 2008
Mary
I love Christmas and frankly, I don't care much for Advent. Why wait? Why hold back from saying, "Merry Christmas." It's not like we're waiting for the birth to occur. It's not like we have to patiently wait with the expectant mother. A birth is a risky thing, even in our modern times, but we know the birth will happen successfully. So I have a hard time waiting.
Like any expectant mother, I have to think that Mary must have had a hard time waiting, too. She had to leave home. What a thing to ask. No matter how spiritually mature she was, to leave her mother, other female relatives and friends must have been extremely tough. Many tears must have been shed. Now after riding alongside Joseph, they arrive in Bethlehem. We all know the story - "no room at the inn". With her hands pressed against her aching back, she must have been a sympathetic sight - "we've got a manger". Did she cry when she finally settled off her feet? She must have simply wanted the birth to happen: "Just get this baby out of me, please God."
For as much as we want our waiting to end, it is in the waiting that the growth occurs. Happy Advent and Merry Christmas! Tomorrow, I'll explore Joseph and the specialness of Christmas.
Like any expectant mother, I have to think that Mary must have had a hard time waiting, too. She had to leave home. What a thing to ask. No matter how spiritually mature she was, to leave her mother, other female relatives and friends must have been extremely tough. Many tears must have been shed. Now after riding alongside Joseph, they arrive in Bethlehem. We all know the story - "no room at the inn". With her hands pressed against her aching back, she must have been a sympathetic sight - "we've got a manger". Did she cry when she finally settled off her feet? She must have simply wanted the birth to happen: "Just get this baby out of me, please God."
For as much as we want our waiting to end, it is in the waiting that the growth occurs. Happy Advent and Merry Christmas! Tomorrow, I'll explore Joseph and the specialness of Christmas.
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