"...In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth..." John 1
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
From his 1987 Sabbath poems.
Remembering that it happened once,
We cannot turn away the thought,
As we go out, cold, to our barns
Toward the long night’s end, that we
Ourselves are living in the world
It happened in when it first happened,
That we ourselves, opening a stall
(A latch thrown open countless times
Before), might find them breathing there,
Foreknown: the Child bedded in straw,
The mother kneeling over Him,
The husband standing in belief
He scarcely can believe, in light
That lights them from no source we see,
An April morning’s light, the air
Around them joyful as a choir.
We stand with one hand on the door,
Looking into another world
That is this world, the pale daylight
Coming just as before, our chores
To do, the cattle all awake,
Our own frozen breath hanging
In front of us; and we are here
As we have never been before,
Sighted as not before, our place
Holy, although we knew it not.
"...The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation (the Grand Miracle). They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this. Just as every natural event is the manifestation at a particular place and moment of Nature's total character, so every particular Christian miracle manifests at a particular place and moment the character and significance of the Incarnation. There is no question in Christianity of arbitrary interferences just scattered about. It replaces not a series of disconnected raids on Nature but the various steps of a strategically coherent invasion--an invasion which intends complete conquest and occupation....In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; down further still, if embryologists are right, to recapitulate in the womb ancient and pre-human phases of life; down to the very roots and seabed of the Nature He created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him..." C.S Lewis--Miracles
We cannot, nor will we, or so I believe, truly grasp much about the Incarnation as with many of the other foundational parts of what we believe. You may, but I feel very safe to say that I will not. I do know that my dear son is about 20 months old and that when I begin thinking about God the Father sending his only son down to earth, I cannot keep from tearing up and becoming quickly overwhelmed. I could not nor would I be willing to do so if the tables were turned. I also know that God the Father watched his only son be born through pain, tears, and blood and come into the world in a stable in the arms of very brave young girl and very brave young man. A scene that makes me tremble at the thought of Ford being born in the same conditions far from the safety net of doctors, nurses, etc.
And we cannot remove ourselves very far this year of the continuous showing up within Christmas story of the phrase, "Do not be afraid...". This has been a year were fear has played into our lives and we have forgotten to hide ourselves within the cleft of the Rock and be held in that Righteous Right Hand. We have spent many a dark night trembling and quaking like those lowly shepherds and we are rushing to that manger not so much because we have seen the heavenly multitude, but because we, like those shepherds need there to be a Savior in that manger so badly. We know He is there or none of this means much of anything.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you spend some of today far from shouting of all that Christmas isn't suppose to be, but rather quiet yourself and think for a moment of that manger scene and that Grand Miracle taking place because is it happening each day and within each moment again and do not be afraid to let it make you tremble at the thought of the great God Man taking on flesh and blood to save you. If you ever question if God loves you. This should be enough.
Merry Christmas and happy reading,
DAVID
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