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This is an Advent meditation. Just for a change. The birth of Jesus of Nazareth changed the way we reckon time. His coming was the first century - yet he belongs to all the centuries of this earth.He was born a Jew - yet he belongs to all men. He was born in a scruffy village called Bethlehem, near Jerusalem - yet he belongs to all cities, all towns and all villages. He called himself "Son of Man" - men called him "Messiah", "Son of God". His coming split history in two. His coming changed not only the way humans see God, but even the way God treats humans.Amnesty was declared.The King of Heaven became a subject of earth. He, almighty in power, rules - not by force, but in love. He reigns - but his throne is an ugly gibbet. His work was finished - yet it continues. He came - and he will come again. He is heaven's lion - who was the lamb.
Was there ever such a coming? Was there ever such a being? Were he an invention - it would have needed him to have invented such a one.
The coming of one who is never away. The beginning of him who has no end; nor was there a time when he was not. He, the Word, the Life, the Truth, and men called him 'Jesus', or in Hebrew Y'shuah, which means 'deliverer', 'saviour'. This is from John's Gospel, Chapter 1 9-13:
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God.
A Prayer: Lord God, ever present, who is unseen, yet clearly visible in the flesh and blood of Jesus of Nazareth, we marvel at the coming one who is already here; the unknowable, who makes himself known; the all powerful in human hands; the ever present in one place at one time; the Majesty of all Glory, in a cowshed;the King of all creation with human spit on his face; the wisdom of all worlds, scorned by human fools. For the mystery of your coming, redeeming and saving and healing, we worship, we marvel and we adore.
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