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Epic living

Friday, December 12, 2008

Rev 12: 4-6, 10
The dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed."

Now here's the start of a good story. Evil vanquished, righteousness lifted up and made glorious, no more bad guys. This is what I want to read during Advent, as the days get shorter and darker, the air frozen, the sun hard and cold. I'll crawl under lots of blankets and curl up safe and sound, knowing God has come and done in the dragon.

The story in the Gospels, though, is not so clean. The baby's mother couldn't find an inn and laid the baby in a manger. Soon soldiers came and killed many other little children as their king wanted to eliminate competition from Jesus. The king's syphilitic body finally died, but not before he wrecked the lives of many mothers and fathers in Bethlehem.

And today the earth still bleeds with war and rings with rumors of war. Many people die because of selfishness and greed. We kill each other. We hate. What has changed? So I am very grateful for the hope I feel from this glimpse in the book of Revelation of God's victory in the parallel "spirit world." Redemption and glory are real, they belong to God, and we will participate.

As always, God insists that I stretch my point of view out far beyond my own life. "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." Beyond those simple prayers for physical and spiritual sustenance, God wants my eyes on Him, and my feet on the path He sets out for me.

It's on this "glory road" that I can watch something of what He sees and what He's doing. All the parts of me are in harmony and what I do is right. Adventure beckons. God is alive, and so am I. Forever.

Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.



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