"Away in the manger, no crib for a bed/ the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head/ the stars in the sky look down where He lay/ the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."
For is it ever not a jarring story? Does the thought of a God who chose to descend fit any more neatly into the month of December? Whether we realize it among boughs of holly or not, the Christmas story fits into the present moment the same way it fits into Christmas day: uncomfortably.
The striking occasion of an omnipotent Father who relinquishes his power and becomes like the fragile clay He created in order that we might have life rests like a gigantic stumbling block on the face of history. Whoever heard of such a thing? And can such an event ever be constrained to one day, one month, one observance?
The glory of God in a dirty stable is as out of place in July as it is in December. The Christ child in the manger is forever an indication of the great lengths he will go to save us, a savior willing to descend that we might be able to ascend. The star of Bethlehem, the wise men, the shepherds, and Mary are amid the inconceivable markers of a God among us. And the birth of Christ is the timeless gesture that God has chosen to remain.
Comments:
Uncle Jay in Illinois writes: I liked Christmas in July because it shows just how much thought God put into his plan, like Easter , could you imagine it in December without all the new flowers and things spring brings to signify new life as Jesus did by dying on the cross so we could have new life after death, its a beautiful thing,
*The Street Church is in need of donations for the homeless - summer clothing like shorts and t-shirts as well as back packs are greatly appreciated.
*To comment on this thread, visit the blog.
*Read today's slice and email me with your comments/questions/prayers for
our next posting.
*Check out Life Devotions and see if you would like to receive their daily snippets.
*Invite friends and family to join us on this faith journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment