Wow, God! (An Advent Journey)Shembull

WOW, GOD. YOU MAKE YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE TO US.

Experience

I have always wondered why God chose a baby to save the world. Why did He send His divine son... as a human baby? I realize it wouldn’t have worked if He would have sent a surly teenager. A baby, though? Really? Well, let’s think about this. Would I have listened, paid any attention, if Jesus had come as a grown man? Or if Jesus had arrived as some god-like form? OK, actually, yes. A god-like form would have gotten my attention. Except that would have been God doing a big “God thing.”

I can’t be part of something like that, a God with power all around. I would only be able to stand back, probably in fear. But a baby... I’ve seen babies and I’ve held babies. Just by its existence, a baby makes you want to come look. A baby is inviting, without demands. Babies want your attention. The eye contact, the smile, the connection. Babies don’t ask for much more. This season, a certain baby needs my attention, my focus on his life. I don’t think I’ll ever understand all the how’s and why’s, but I am beginning to understand how important it was to God that He make a way to save us by introducing Himself to us… as a baby. God put His son here as a baby to prove his love and to show He can be reached. 

Wow, God. You make Yourself accessible to us. 

Respond

God’s purpose through Jesus is to make Himself available to us. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” God is all these things and He can be these things in your life. God is available to be and do this for you. Through Jesus, God will be a counselor and mighty peace-giver. Jesus makes these big God-like things accessible to us.

Pray

God, thank You for making Your God-self accessible to my human-self, so I can have a real relationship with You. Amen.