Sunday, December 11, 2005
On Advent, Or Why Waiting Is A Good Thing
Captain's Quarters had an interesting post the other day about passing on Christmas traditions -- in this case the old TV specials.
Anticipation helps make something special. Anticipation has a way of making the ordinary extraordinary. What, I wonder, can anticipation do for the extraordinary? Certainly it can build an appreciation for it.
What could be more extraordinary than the virgin birth of a Savior? And yet, it passes us by each year accepted as simply a part of life. The Incarnation is more than just the first step on the journey to the cross and resurrection -- it is a miracle of equal magnitude. More it is God in flesh.
What are you anticipating this Advent season? I am antcipating incarnation. I am anticipating my Lord joining me at table, in the flesh - leaving His palace and sitting in my humble home and talking to and caring about me - something He has absolutely no obligation to do. I am anticipating an incredible miracle, God grant me the wisdom to fully appreciate it.
For instance, when my sister and I were small, we waited impatiently for the Christmas television specials as an indication that the season had truly arrived. For us, Christmas season began with "A Charlie Brown Christmas", or "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty The Snowman". Even when we got a little older and I tried to act as though I was a bit too cool for the baby stuff, "The Grinch That Stole Christmas", featuring Boris Karloff's baritone narration never failed to draw me back in.There is some serious truth in that. When I was a kid The "Wizard of Oz" was amazing! I starting shaking weeks before Thanksgiving, waiting for that once a year showing. I just experienced something of the same reaction in anticipation of the Narnia movie. Now, I can watch "Wizard of Oz" anytime I want, and for some reason it's just not as special as it used to be.
Now, of course, we can watch these whenever we want, thanks to the advances of technology -- but in doing so, they lost a bit of their charm.
Anticipation helps make something special. Anticipation has a way of making the ordinary extraordinary. What, I wonder, can anticipation do for the extraordinary? Certainly it can build an appreciation for it.
What could be more extraordinary than the virgin birth of a Savior? And yet, it passes us by each year accepted as simply a part of life. The Incarnation is more than just the first step on the journey to the cross and resurrection -- it is a miracle of equal magnitude. More it is God in flesh.
Phil 2:5-8 - 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.Incarnation is a most necessary part of the salvation story. Too often we treat it as a nice story that Charlie Brown reads on TV. Too often it is the "reason for the season" but it's still about the season and not about the Gospel. Incarnation is a sacrifice on God's part on a par with crucifixion. I think we so often fail to appreciate that.
What are you anticipating this Advent season? I am antcipating incarnation. I am anticipating my Lord joining me at table, in the flesh - leaving His palace and sitting in my humble home and talking to and caring about me - something He has absolutely no obligation to do. I am anticipating an incredible miracle, God grant me the wisdom to fully appreciate it.
