...and the Word Became Flesh

 

Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2020

In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
So the Word became human and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.  John 1:1-5, 14

After a year of being stuck in Africa our Granddaughter made it home this week.  The reunion brought much relief, and prodded joyful memories.  Nine years ago we attended a middle and high school combined chorus concert at my granddaughter’s school.  We saw and heard Christmas, the part where He came in a lowly place, an unexpected place – a very noisy place full of barnyard critters.  

We got there early to get a good seat; and (wonder of wonders) we succeeded, right down front where we could see the dimples on my beautiful granddaughter as she sang a solo part, and we could also see our ,grandson in that red bowtie...priceless!  People were in a festive mood, and the kids sang the obligatory numbers that choirs have been singing for centuries.  They also sang “The Twelve Days AFTER Christmas” (five gold rings that turned your fingers green, along with three French hens that were turned into chicken soup to cure a cold….well, it was a hoot!). 

But that wasn’t Christmas – not the word become flesh.  The stage was decorated, the kids wore elf hats and antlers; but that wasn’t Christmas, either!

What made it Christmas, for me, was the rowdy crowd!  Through all fifteen songs the parents and friends of these kids kept up chatter, trips to the bathroom complete with swinging, slamming doors.  They talked, laughed, and made it impossible to hear the singing.  One group behind us must’ve had bladder problems; I counted eight trips to the facility in the hour and fifteen-minute concert.  The young lady behind me was reclining on her seat, one leg draped over the arm of her chair, dangling in the aisle; she was texting, playing video games, bouncing her baby sister on her lap, talking to her boyfriend, and singing (rather off key) from before the opening curtain, straight through to Silent Night.  It was like attending a combination football game and tractor-pull.  The crowd distracted everyone who was trying to sing, play, direct or hear.  Whew…talk about a “rowdy-crowdy”!  Our “concert rowdy-crowdy” was unknowing of the treasure those 7-9^th grade kids had practiced weeks to bring them. 

So, what’s the connection with the word became flesh?  God came to the rowdy and blind…and he did it on purpose!  Humanity without God is blind and unknowing.  Most of our manger scenes are quiet, very pastoral, and serene.  But has farm life ever really been quiet?  With all due respect to “Away in a Manger” – when cattle are lowing, they are loud.  They bellow because they’re ready for something to happen…very ready!  Goats, sheep, and pigs add to the noise too. 

The Word becoming flesh was God choosing to come to the middle of a rowdy mess, like an interrupted concert, a distracted choir, and a crowd, all blind to the beauty.  That’s grace…we didn’t deserve it, but he came anyway.  God chose to die for us – it tells us the truth – we’re that messy!  He was full of grace and truth…we’re that messy, and he loves us anyway.  He took our rowdy mess to the cross; that is the glory we celebrate this season.  He lived with us, died for us, and rose that his grace would carry us all the way to where he is now.  He did that for us blind, lopsided, and totally rowdy!

For You Today

If you don’t put yourself in the “rowdy” picture, guess again; He came for ALL of us.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image:  via Pixabay.com   W  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For more posts on John 1:1-14 see Catch and The Fullness of Time    

 

Words

 

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.  Proverbs 16:24

Words are tools of communication, and what we communicate can be either sweetness and health to the body and soul, or weapons to destroy.  And that destruction or help cuts in many directions.  A sharp tongue can destroy a nation or build a child into a great and Godly influence.

There are over 300 mentions of words in Scripture – of course the chief reference is to Jesus by one who loved him very much:

In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.  John 1:1, 14

Consider just these few ways a word speaks:

Words can shock and paralyze everything
When Moses reported the Lord’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief.  Numbers 14:39

Words can fill us with praise and worship
So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites.  Deuteronomy 31:22

Words can grow us tenderly
Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.  Deuteronomy 32:2

Words, particularly God’s instruction can make existence into life
These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”  Deuteronomy 32:47

These few are just barely a beginning when it comes to what the Word of God can do in our lives.  A lifetime of observation and participation with words has led me to the conclusion that God’s Word is more important than any idea I’ve ever had or heard.  But, second in line, are the words I let tumble out of my mouth…or, sometimes, the words I fail to speak.  My words can be either a gift to or a gutting of another person.  The choice is always like the ball hit into my half of the court; what shall I do with the words that are forming, or hiding within?

Here is the prayer that should cover every thought and word that issues from my tongue:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

For You Today

We will all say some words to someone today…maybe a lot or maybe a little…may each syllable be covered in that prayer over our mouths and motives!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on this topic see:  Words Matter