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God and fleshSaturday, December 31, 2005
John 1:14 When a baby is born, everybody's happy. Our family had three experiences with this kind of joy. Three birth announcements, three moments when all things seemed new. This biblical birth announcement comes late, after Jesus' death. More to the point, it comes after Jesus' resurrection. Death and Jesus don't mix, like oil and water they avoid each other. Jesus' victory over death is glorious. Glory is a pre-twentieth century concept - synonyms are majesty, brilliance, radiance, renown. Glory is full of light. Glorious is also "heavy." Heavy light, like heavy water, is rare. It weighs down on Jesus until he learns the feel of it. A halo, with its uncomfortable unbearable lightness, might feel at first more like a crown of thorns. "Accept, accept," God says to Jesus his son. And Jesus does. Full of grace and truth, he shows his glory to us all. We see our war heroes as glorious. Braveheart, King Arthur, Yoda, George Washington, Douglas McArthur all carried the big stick and used their weapon well. But they spoke softly. They brought peace quick upon the heels of war. That's why they're our heroes. Not for the killing but for the love. This is the victory that overcomes the world. With the announcement of Jesus' birth, all things are indeed new. They are new and more new as he lives and dies and is alive again. This new never grows old. It never reaches December 31. There is no old man bowing out, crushed by time. The baby reigns over time, over evil, over all. He is glorious, and we worship him. Let my life with you be fresh and new, Lord, on this last day of the year and on the first day of the next. You are with us always. Even to the end of the world. P.S. Here's a great website I chanced upon a couple of days ago...one to spend some time with as the year changes over... http://www.anotherthink.com/index.html |
At the turn of the year old man 2005 wanders out of the picture, creaking at every joint, a little disheveled, a little confused, done. New baby 2006 strolls in confident, strong, ready for anything.