When we gaze at the manger, we are witnesses of the all-wise Creator entering his creation to rescue, to gather, to love.
The Gifts of Christmas
God Becomes the Gift
Adoring Christ
Love Came
glory be to God
love came, robed in flesh and blood
mystery on straw
As you ponder the mystery of the Incarnation, you may want to try to capture its essence in a haiku. In a haiku, the first and last lines have 5 syllables each and the middle line has 7 syllables. Or perhaps you’d like to try your hand at some other form of poetry as you journey toward that stable in Bethlehem.
Completely Other
Offering
Silenced
Should we not be silenced? Our Creator God, the One who holds all things in existence, becomes dependent as he is embodied in flesh. When Jesus takes the form of a human baby, he sets aside his massive power and becomes dependent on Mary’s physical body to nourish him and bring forth his human life at birth. The Father entrusts his Son to Mary. She holds his fragile life in her womb.
The Creator is larger than his creation, larger than the incomprehensibly massive universe. God who spoke all into existence, at the “overshadowing of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:35), is too small for the naked eye to see. Ponder the condescension required for Christ to be incarnated.
All things were made by him and without him nothing was made that has been made. (Colossians 1:15)
In him was life. (John 1:3)
You will conceive and give birth to a son… (Luke 1:31)
We read these familiar words and are tempted to start skimming. We’re busy. We’ve heard it before. Can I put aside the hustle of the holidays long enough to ponder the condescension required for Christ to be incarnated?
He who is the Source of all life is reduced to a single cell. Read that again…slowly this time. We know what each of the words means, but unless we stop and take some time to ponder each phrase and the truth expressed in that sentence, we won’t be stirred. And we want to feel it. It’s like we’ve been given a gift worth trillions of dollars, but we’re clueless. We thought it was bought at the Dollar Tree. We hardly pause to say “Thank you.”
Whether we pause to appreciate that he who is everywhere present is suddenly contained inside a peasant girl’s womb or not, this is a gift of inestimable value. The angels filled the cave in Bethlehem. Cherubim and the archangels could scarcely comprehend what they were witnessing. The chorus of heaven was silenced. All held their breath, awestruck with wonder, silenced by his lavish love.
Purest. Most Sublime. Majestic. All-Glorious. Loveliest. Almighty God. “Him who dwells in unapproachable light, him who no eye can see, him whom the angels adore,” (I Timothy 6:16), the Holy One was being born a human baby, was being wrapped in swaddling cloths, was lying in a feeding trough on handfuls of straw, was crying himself to sleep in a manger.
“Glory to God in the highest!” the angels respond.
This is God’s gift each Christmas: A Son is given. This Gift is a treasure of the highest value.
The content of this post is from All Creation Sings by Luann Budd.
Advent Prayer
Remember, merciful Jesu
That I am the cause of your journey.
from Mozart’s Requiem
During Advent, Dive into the Mystery
Writing a Rule of Life
Flourishing in Our Calling
Discerning Your Personal Call
I knew Kevin was called to be a pastor. And I fully embraced my role as the pastor’s wife. But I didn’t think I had received a call. I didn’t think volunteering was a “calling” because it was not a paid, full-time job. I guess I equated calling with a vocation—a job. I had a more general call: all people are called to love the Lord, love others, and do their part to share the gospel, disciple people, and seek to advance God’s mission in the world. But I didn’t have a special, specific call.
But what if discerning our calling is a spiritual formation conversation God invites us to have with him during the various seasons of our lives?
How To Use A Journal to Reflect on Scripture
This morning a familiar Scripture surprised me as it spoke to my heart: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things..." (Luke 10:38) It seemed Jesus was saying to me: Luann, I know the worries and troubles you carry.
I didn't feel like I was carrying much. Yet he knew Martha's heart so I know he knows mine.
Everything is Holy Now
Ragged and Torn
The Cross
Creation Trembled
The Remedy
We all detest death. “…Death is the triumph of Satan, the punishment of the Fall, and the last enemy.”[1] Our Creator, who gives life to all, detested it more than we do.
