The Long View
Right Here
Light looked down and saw darkness.
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID LIGHT.
Peace looked down and saw war.
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID PEACE.
Love looked down and saw hatred.
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID LOVE.
So he, the Lord of Light, the Prince of Peace, the King of Love,
Came down and crept in beside us.
The Christmas story is a powder keg of beauty and potential…an unsettling tale of the God who creeps in beside a humanity who believes that he is far off, distant, judgmental, hateful, and damning. As the liturgy above indicates, Immanuel, “God with us,” is anything BUT these things.
I have to confess I’ve been humming Christmas music for over two months now. It began in mid-October, and I can’t tell you exactly why, just that I feel excitement over the coming of this season this year. Rather than smirk at the commercialization of Christmas in decorations and seasonal items that are already out at Target, Costco, and Home Depot, I’ve found myself greeting them this year…embracing this season even if in all of the
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID LIGHT.
Peace looked down and saw war.
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID PEACE.
Love looked down and saw hatred.
‘I WILL GO THERE,’ SAID LOVE.
So he, the Lord of Light, the Prince of Peace, the King of Love,
Came down and crept in beside us.
The Christmas story is a powder keg of beauty and potential…an unsettling tale of the God who creeps in beside a humanity who believes that he is far off, distant, judgmental, hateful, and damning. As the liturgy above indicates, Immanuel, “God with us,” is anything BUT these things.
I have to confess I’ve been humming Christmas music for over two months now. It began in mid-October, and I can’t tell you exactly why, just that I feel excitement over the coming of this season this year. Rather than smirk at the commercialization of Christmas in decorations and seasonal items that are already out at Target, Costco, and Home Depot, I’ve found myself greeting them this year…embracing this season even if in all of the
commercialization of Jesus it misses the point.
This is the point for me: The Christmas story is not only about the God who is already come in Jesus, but the God who still comes to a world, a people, a culture, a Christianity, and yes,
This is the point for me: The Christmas story is not only about the God who is already come in Jesus, but the God who still comes to a world, a people, a culture, a Christianity, and yes,
even a Nathan who doesn’t fully get how important and
wonderful it is that God comes to us.
We don’t have to make a journey to him.
This is good news. That I can sit up in the morning and say, “I know you are here.” I can get out of my car after a traffic accident and say, “You God, are here.” I can face a cancer ravaging my body, and because of this Christmas message know for a fact that,
This is good news. That I can sit up in the morning and say, “I know you are here.” I can get out of my car after a traffic accident and say, “You God, are here.” I can face a cancer ravaging my body, and because of this Christmas message know for a fact that,
“I know Jesus, you are here with me.”
Right here. Jesus is right here--in my life--in your life.
Right here. Jesus is right here--in my life--in your life.
Right here in the rough hewn mangers of our lives
bringing his particular light and peace and order
into the disorderly chaos of our existences.
Today, this season, this year, this is enough. And for me, it’s the best news on the planet.
Today, this season, this year, this is enough. And for me, it’s the best news on the planet.
As the Brits say, “Happy Christmas!”
God in Jesus LOVES you, and I do too.
Pastor Nathan
God in Jesus LOVES you, and I do too.
Pastor Nathan
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