A Letter to Rose #3: Christmas

My dearest goddaughter, Rose,

It's almost Christmas time- your very first! It is going to be one of the best Christmases for all of us since you're here with us. I want to tell you a story. . . it's not about Santa or the Grinch or even that little guy from the movie with the leg lamp (ask your Daddy about that one). It's about Jesus. 

A long, long time ago when the world was groaning in a pain and sin, not unlike today actually, God sent a message to a young girl named Mary. The message was that she would become pregnant and have a son and he would be called Jesus which means "he saves." Now this was not news that made the morning papers.  It was not news that one would find on CNN or MSNBC or even Fox. This was news that was meant for the poor and lowly, it was news that threatened those in power. It was controversial and yet at the same time it was joyous, hopeful, and dangerous too. 

Mary was not even married yet, which in her day was an absolute scandal, not like today where no one bats an eyelash about such situations. However, in Mary's day she could have stoned to death for being pregnant out of marriage so this was very serious. She was betrothed, that means she was promised to someone for marriage. His name was Joseph and he was older than her. It took an angel to come to him to convince him not to just let her go, to leave her in shame and in danger, but that angel convinced him that this child was indeed God's child. This child was the promised One of Israel. So Joseph took Mary and married her and the child was born far away from home in a town called Bethlehem because the couple had business there that had to be tended to.

The danger was not over though, Rose. Jesus was not born in a nice, sterile hospital with a gift shop like you were. Oh no, he was born in a stable. You know what that is, right? A barn! (If you ever hear your mama say, "Rose, were you born in a barn?" You can always tell her, "No, but Jesus our Savior was!") Jesus' delivery was a dangerous situation. He could have died out there in that strange town in that barn full of animals. But God protected him because he was to be the One to save his people from sin, death and the power of the devil. Joseph then had a dream which told him that the danger was far from over. . . he was to take Mary and Jesus and get out of town and go to the country of Egypt to wait out the danger. The King called Herod was on a rampage, he wanted that baby king to be killed so he killed every baby he could put his hands on. Horrific isn't it? But Jesus was spared thanks to divine intervention. 

There is more to the story, of course, but we get to that in due time. For now I just wanted you to know the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Jesus. He is the reason, because through his life, death and resurrection Christ has given us everything that is important! He has given us a relationship with the Creator, salvation from our sins and life eternal when we pass forward. 

I can't wait to see you again! Remember I love you and God loves you! 

Merry Christmas Sweetie,

Aunt Amy

In the "Mean"time

Zephaniah 3:14-20

¹⁴Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! ¹⁵The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. ¹⁶On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. ¹⁷The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing ¹⁸as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. ¹⁹I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. ²⁰At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

The news this past week is extremely sad and horrifying. For many it begs questions about theodicy, or why does God allow evil in the world? There are no good or satisfying answers to that question for sure. The only way I can wrap my brain around it is to understand that God created humanity in freedom, which unfortunately means that some human beings totally disregard the existence of God at all; they do not hold life to be precious and commit atrocities against others in their fear, anger and extreme brokenness. We can name in our own lifetime half a dozen examples: 9/11, Virginia Tech, Columbine and the list goes on. And each and every time it happens we are stunned, horrified and heartbroken. And so is God.

Our God is a god who knows and understands our grief, confusion, anger and horror! He weeps with us as we weep for the dead and injured. His heart is broken over the brokenness of humanity, and it's been that way since the garden of Eden. It's been that way since the first brother murdered the second brother. 

Back in Egypt when God’s people were bound in slavery and oppression, when the kind knew nothing of Joseph and his clan, Pharaoh murdered as many Hebrew baby boys as he could get his hands on. He feared the way they were multiplying, he was anxious that they would one day take over his kingdom. One was saved, Moses, and he led God’s people out of slavery and into the promised land. God made a way where there was no way. (Please hear very clearly that I am not implying that the other infants were less important than Moses. . . only that God used a horrific situation and made something out of it, something that in the end freed a people.)

In Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, King Herod ordered all baby boys under the age of two to be killed, because he feared  the magi's report of a new king which he thought threatened his power and way of life. St. Luke writes about the mothers who clung to their dead babies bodies as they wept in horror and grief.  But one was saved, the promised One, Jesus the Christ. God made a way where there was no way. 

The TV seems better left off if you want to have any peace at all these days: 22 children in China slashed with a knife on Friday; in Sandusky not long ago 2 children and their mother were murdered by an ex-convict who had just finished serving a 15+ year prison term for the same crime; in Vermillion an 18 month old was left to die of starvation; baby girls in China are slaughtered for being female and being the second child in a family; and in Newtown CT, 20 Kindergartners and 6 brave teachers were killed by a crazed gunman. 

There is a war on children. There has always been a war on children. There will continue to be a war on innocent life until the last days, when Jesus comes again and the old kingdom of this earth passes away. Until then, in the meantime we live in the MEAN time. It is mean and nasty and filled with terror, not everyday thanks be to God, but far too often to be sure! For the moment, we as God's children are called to be advocates to all children, to speak out and act out on behalf of those who are most precious to Jesus. Jesus made it very clear that children were a priority for him: he called them to his lap, he urged people to believe like they did, he knew they were precious and in need of protection. Perhaps he would have said it that way too: There is a WAR on children.

Our hope and consolation in times like this is that we know with certainty that God is with these families: Jesus our Emmanuel is certainly One who fully understands the horror, fear and pain of violence and murder, having experienced it firsthand. Christ is with the community of Newtown, with the families in China and with all those who suffer at the hands of violent, malevolent, cowards who neither love God nor fear him. We live in a world filled with people who are dark, who are plagued with fear and doubt and are susceptible to the evil one. But still, in this Third Week of Advent,  we are called to rejoice.. . called to hope, called to love, called to be people of peace in a world of violence, hate and terror. 

Advent promises us a new beginning, but still it is ONLY a promise so far-- we are not there yet. We continue to wait and watch for Christ's return when all will be made new, when there will be no more crying and pain, no more murder and violence. But we aren't there yet. The prophet Zephaniah proclaims God’s good news to us in the face of our enemies. Our enemies will be taken away. We shall fear no more. We will be renewed in love and brought HOME! Home is where God is. Home is where Jesus dwells. For now he dwells within our hearts and for the meantime that simply has to be enough. 

God's peace to you and his comfort and joy as well!

ACL