1.

I began the day by musing with God on His presence with me.

You are here now, as I write with a too-big marker and drink lukewarm coffee. You are near as this candle flickers – do You smell it? Do You like this smell? I love it.

You are with me as I try to breathe more deeply, as the sky lightens. You are keeping the world rotating so that the sun would rise today. You are right here, seeing me in my many failures and in Your image nonetheless. You are my greatest gift, everyone’s greatest gift.

With me as my body aches a little, as I still feel tired and not quite all awake. And what’s more, You know that feeling. You know the cheer a flame brings. And the sunrise – all these embodied things – because You came in a body. You went through human developmental stages for me. You felt physical pain. Did You get headaches? Did You lose anyone to Alzheimer’s? I can’t know, but I know that to be in a body is both wonderful and painful. You did it to save me.

You have not only saved my body from near death many times; You have brought back my soul from its dead, hardened state. So now even my body has hope to be made new one day. That day feel so far away, and truly I don’t know how soon or far it is. But because You came the once, I have hope for the second.

Because You took on flesh and died to redeem me and rose to crush the head of death, I have hope You will fulfill Your promise: to return in glory, to dwell with us once and for all, to wipe away every tear. You have justified me, You are making me anew, You will be the final, righteous Judge and create again. What a mystery this is. How far beyond my understanding.

2.

This is what I think it means for you and me and all of us…

And to think, the middle act of this neverending, cosmic epic began with the almighty, uncreated God of the infinite universe humbling Himself to be born. He did not spare Himself from anything but entered into bodily form in the messiest, lowliest way. And the first people to hear of it and adore Him were not kings, nor anyone powerful, but laborers working the night shift with livestock. People of no consequence.

The good Shepherd announced Himself to shepherds and identified Himself with them, conferring dignity on them that humans would not. That is what He has done – by creating us and by coming as a baby and by giving His life for ours – He has conferred on us a value so high no one on earth could ever pay for it.

This season of Advent and next of Christmas are monumental. It is hard to remember that, especially if we’re going along with the world’s distracting ways that make this time of year busy, expensive, exhausting, and stressful. I don’t know what’s doing that for you, but I have found myself distracted with plans and gifts – good things. But oh, how Satan can twist good things to draw us away from the Giver of good things.

I encourage you and me to step out of the current and into a slower space for a moment (as long as you possibly can) to soak it in:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)

For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven. (Book of Common Prayer)

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23)

And behold, I AM with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Friend. He. Is. With. You.

In traffic. In crazy stores full of hurrying. In late nights. On the computer, the phone. In deadlines. In bank accounts close to empty. On the side of the road with your flat tire. In the joy of the morning sky clearing to blue. In the loss of one you love. In ecstasy. In your anger. With all your friends together. Alone. In disappointment. When you receive the diagnosis. When your biopsy is clear. When your child is born. When your relationship ends. While you drink your coffee. When you cry. When you sleep. When your alarm goes off too early. When you mess up big time – again. When someone hurts you. When you sin. When you succeed. As you cook. As you fold clothes. While you wash your face. Every time you laugh.

There is not a moment He is absent. The psalmist asks God why He has forsaken him, why so far from saving (Psalm 22:1). This is often a real cry of our hearts (and of Jesus’ heart once). What does God say?

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Even in the next Psalm (23), we see: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want….Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me…”

There is nowhere you are that the Shepherd is not.

Where shall I go from Your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there Your hand shall lead me,
    and Your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10)

When I hear God’s answer – that He is indeed here and is mighty to save – I want to respond like Job did.

I know that You can do all things,
    and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak;
    I will question you, and you make it known to Me.’
I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees You;
therefore I despise myself,
    and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:1-6)

Advent is a season for repenting and preparing. Christmas is exciting, magical even. Yet Christ did come so He could die. And He died because we were enemies of God who deserved to die. This is too wonderful for me –

This mercy.

This care.

This love.

In this last week before Christmas, let us confess our sin that our Lord came to overcome. Let us humble ourselves in awe of the majesty our humble King left behind to be like one of us. And let us place all our hope in Him for our salvation and new life.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.