An Eternal Clue to Christmas
Into the muddled middle classes, the struggling poor and even the wealthy, each Christmas Day Father-God still speaks loudly and gently. Upon a cold and clear night, with supernatural choral support He announced this habit 2000 years ago.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified... suddenly a company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God... (Luke 2:8-13)
'Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and joy from angels. God goes to those who have time to hear Him–and so on this cloudless night He went to simple shepherds.' (Max Lucado)
Father-God wanted His Son found. The manger, this insignificant landing pad of God upon earth shouts to all mankind; seek the simple, enjoy the elusive, but be sure to first honor The Humble (as the angels did).
In fact to explain the humility of this birth Brennan Manning wrote:
Christmas is omnipotence wrapped in the bonds of my own fragile humanity.
Father-God had not lost love for His world anymore than He had gained disinterest in it.
Father-God is no cosmic watchmaker, creating 'the watch', winding it up and then stepping back forever.
Jesus entered the world to both change it and to claim it at the Cross, because it and all who live here still belong to Him. This is an eternal clue to 'why Christmas'!
Today's Soul Snippet:
In solitude the Lord is found, but it is from stillness He is enjoyed.