Author: Wick

Which hopefully by now, most of us have learned that “X” (the Greek letter “chi”) has long been used to represent Christ, and the “-mas” came from the Latin word for “Mass”. So it would seem “X-Mas” is a pretty okay term for Christians to use, in fact, it’s been used for the Holiday for a LONG stinkin’ time.

In final celebrations for the “season” of Advent, I figured I should at least say something about waiting. Tomorrow many of us celebrate (under all the gifts and food and hullabaloo) the arrival of the Christ child. “The Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us.”

How long creation waited for that day. It’s creator-God, arriving as one created. Living a life that faithfully responded to God, and saying to those who are curious, “follow me”. In Love, Dying and becoming “first born from among the dead”, so that by being with us, we are mysteriously waiting and yet wrapped up in the Kingdom to come. We wait for all things (including us) to be made new. We are involved in things becoming new even now. It may happen in our lifetime. We may end up leaving this world (death) and waiting with those who have passed already (in “paradise”), but they/we will still be waiting for God to finish what He has promised to bring to completion. That Kingdom coming that was begun in Christ. In Almighty God becoming a helpless baby, and journeying through life as child/boy/man. In his suffering, his sacrifice, his grace, his shed blood, his death, and ultimately, his resurrection.

That is beautiful. That is the type of beauty any true beauty attempts to point to/connect with/echo. To recognize that all of this incredible panoramic picture of beauty/grace/love all begins in that manger scene, wrapped up in swaddling clothes….to know that such a revelation of the beauty of God’s creation is coming…..to ache for it with all creation today, just as we did the evening before Christ was born – THAT is Christmas eve.

Wait painfully. Wait joyfully. Gasp for the moments to come…

Every once in a while, a teenager will ask a hard question. Harder than most adults, usually, mainly because adults sometimes shut of their ability to appear confused/humbled. The question that comes up often is the “why did God have to come as Jesus…why not just save the world and be done with it?”

I’m not sure. That’s usually my response. Followed by a discussion about how greatful we can be about why it DID happen the way it did. How much love it conveys. How much we learn about humility, and grace, and the beauty of life/creation/etc.

I used as a quickly made up children’s message the other day, an illustration I kinda like. Sometimes we take Addie to a play place. Whether DQ, or McDonalds, or elsewhere. There’s always a chance she may get hurt/stuck/lost while on her journey through the playland. If that was to happen, I could crawl in after her, and drag her out. It would be an illustration of my abilities, both physical and mental, in view of the beast of a playplace. 🙂

Now imagine, out of love for my daughter, and desire for her to fully experience the playplace, I become a 2 year old WITH her. We journey through the tubes together, she follows me, and by my presence, she gains hope that she’s not alone and eventually it all works out. It wouldn’t make sense, me becoming a 2 year old to experience it with her. But it sure would help me connect better with her, and give her an understanding of how deep my love for her goes. Especially by letting go of all the strengths/abilities/powers of a parent, and becoming a child with her.

I still don’t understand the cosmos, and I wouldn’t pretend to. I’m not sure why God has worked redemption of all creation the way He has. But I sure do appreciate it. May we remember this Christmas, the Christ-child who says, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers’ of men”, and leads us to death on a cross….