As advent progresses we have the opportunity to meditate on and celebrate what Christmas is all about. During the past week I've reflected on Christ and His coming and how it has changed history. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain" "There is so much to learn, to reflect on to appreciate it. So much to teach us how wonderful God is.
A question that comes back to me is why did Jesus have to come to earth and live as we live and suffer as we suffer and die as we die? Surely God could have zapped grace down into the world. Surely God didn't have to watch His Son endure such a terrible passion. I don't know why God organized history to necessitate His Son coming. I am though, wonderfully glad that He did it that way.
We know that the most motivational leader is the one who has walked where we walked and walked on. The leader who has fought the same battles as I'm fighting and emerged victorious is the one I want to take life lessons from. Perhaps God could have saved humanity without Jesus needing to suffer. The fact that Jesus did come and suffer means that God understands us. He understands that we need something tangible. In Jesus we have a savior, a role model, a hero, a King who understands experientially the universal human condition. He lived our life and felt our confusion. Today I'm celebrating Jesus who is the sort of Being that didn't have to suffer but chose to suffer to make it easier for us. I know Jesus isn't just an abstract idea who has been written about. He was and is and will continue to be very real, and practically helpful on a regular basis. Everything about Him makes Him the sort of person that I'd want to submit to. He is kind, caring, personable and right. He doesn't baby His students or do anything other than what's for our best interest.
In this Christmas season for most of us celebration will just happen whether we plan it or not. I think though we ought to choose the reasons for which we celebrate this season and not let the season choose them for us. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement and forget where you're going.
A question that comes back to me is why did Jesus have to come to earth and live as we live and suffer as we suffer and die as we die? Surely God could have zapped grace down into the world. Surely God didn't have to watch His Son endure such a terrible passion. I don't know why God organized history to necessitate His Son coming. I am though, wonderfully glad that He did it that way.
We know that the most motivational leader is the one who has walked where we walked and walked on. The leader who has fought the same battles as I'm fighting and emerged victorious is the one I want to take life lessons from. Perhaps God could have saved humanity without Jesus needing to suffer. The fact that Jesus did come and suffer means that God understands us. He understands that we need something tangible. In Jesus we have a savior, a role model, a hero, a King who understands experientially the universal human condition. He lived our life and felt our confusion. Today I'm celebrating Jesus who is the sort of Being that didn't have to suffer but chose to suffer to make it easier for us. I know Jesus isn't just an abstract idea who has been written about. He was and is and will continue to be very real, and practically helpful on a regular basis. Everything about Him makes Him the sort of person that I'd want to submit to. He is kind, caring, personable and right. He doesn't baby His students or do anything other than what's for our best interest.
In this Christmas season for most of us celebration will just happen whether we plan it or not. I think though we ought to choose the reasons for which we celebrate this season and not let the season choose them for us. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement and forget where you're going.