Christmastide

January 5, 2020

Scripture Reading:
John 1:10-18

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. –John 1:14-18

What is it like to be human? Is that what God wondered when God determined to become flesh and live among us? Does the infinite gain a better understand of the finite by experiencing being finite? Were Jesus’ actions and teachings designed to help humans gain a better grasp of the infinite? Was grace the result of Jesus’ experience as a human?

We live in a world of humans that we neither understand or strive to know and wonder why war and violence is so common. The Word’s becoming flesh and living among us was God’s modeling for us the need to work at understanding others and helping them understand us. Our mission of understanding starts with the concept that all humans are created in the image of God and that we are all siblings of Christ.

I mourn the unease between our country and Turkey today more than I would have had I never spent a wonderful ten days touring that country four years ago. I was particularly interested in seeing the various places, many of them ruins now, where Paul worked. Part of the tour included chances to meet and eat with local citizens. By coincidence my birthday occurred during this trip and on that day at one of the friendly visits out popped a birthday cake, of course prearranged by the tour company, but still enjoyed by all. Not only did I get to know Turks better but more than half of the people on the tour were from other countries primarily Australia, China, and South African.

Prayer:
1 God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your power;
crown your ancient church’s story,
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.

2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn the Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.

3 Cure your children’s warring madness;
bend our pride to your control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.

4 Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the gift of your salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving you whom we adore,
serving you whom we adore. Amen

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.