The Christmas Gift

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. (Micah 5:2-5a)

The people of God are called to live with the posture of Expectancy - the day of the Lord is coming. 

The people of God are called to live as Exiles - oh come, oh come Emmanuel, and ransom here your people still. Who morn in lonely exile her, until the Son of God appear.

The people of God are called to live as Emissaries - it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us, called to Kingdom partnership and participation with the King who  has a uniquely tailored call for you - painted with Justice, mercy and humility; a call that connects your deepest longings with the deepest need of the world. 

If you really understand your call as emissaries it is understandable for you to be both exhilarated and terrified. “Me called to partner with God?” “Who am I?” “Maybe one day when I get my act together, but not now.”

Christmas answers these objections. 

• God choose a peasant Jewish girl, so no parent of privilege could boast “Of course the savior is my son, that only makes sense.” 
• God chose a stable, so no innkeeper could boast, "He chose the comfort of my inn!" 
• God chose a manger, so that no wood worker could boast, "He chose my beautifully made bed!" 
• God chose little Bethlehem, so city could boast, "It was because of the greatness of our city that God chose it!" 
• God chose shepherds, so that no one could boast that they deserved to hear the good news first.

And God chooses you with no regard to the good or bad you have done, but freely and unconditionally, because of his grace, mercy and deep love for you so that you can neither say say, “of course he chose me,” nor “God would never choose me.” He chooses you for amazing things - emissaries of the King -- not because of who you are, but because of who he is.  

It’s the wonderful gift of Christmas.

Peace, Hope and Love

Doug

Expecting Advent Hope

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.” “In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 33:14–16

As we enter into Advent we enter into the reality that “the day’s are coming.” Thus has been the posture of the People of God since the fall, “the days are coming,” and in that posture the reality that the days are already here. Here, and yet coming. 

WAITING. REJOICING. SALVATION Now. SALVATION COMING. EXPECTING. 

Earlier this week, I came across a writing on the first week of Advent, HOPE, by my friend Todd Hunter.  Todd writes:  

Throbbing physical pain; fearful financial hardship; anguished heartache coming from the injustice of being wrongly accused—all these are bearable for a moment, a time, and a season—but only when we have hope. Without hope we wither; we crumble. Our confidence is ground to smithereens by relentless cycles of fear.

Our ancient Jewish forefathers and mothers, waiting for the coming of The Messiah, had deep familiarity with the struggle to maintain faith, optimism and hope. Their Psalmist reminded them that, no one who hopes in [God] will ever be put to shame. Their prophets, speaking for God, rekindled anticipation in the hope that the days are coming when [God] will fulfill the good promise [he] made.

We who live between the first and second coming of Jesus know a similar reality. We wonder, sometimes fearfully, what will happen to our lives, our families, our nation, and the world? But as the Psalms and Prophets comforted Israel, Jesus gives us enduring hope, saying: heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus' words were Reality. They remind us of the source of hope: we can be care-less about the despairing anxieties of life through the knowledge that he is care-full in his attention to us.

Advent Practice: be especially attentive this week to the moments when you experience God's care. How might you allow his care to bring hope to the difficult parts of your life?

Peace, hope and love

Doug