I opened my advent reflection today and read this:
In the midst of Advent, with the swags of cedar on porches and the lights twisted up
streetlights, the headlines still spray across the face of the earth. They tear us open, and the world floods with pain. *
I have another post all ready but I can't quite click 'publish' because my head is full of thoughts about bombs and IS and politicians. It seems crazy to be going on with the usual Christmas stuff with this going on.
If the Christmas story doesn't have something to say about this then what use is it?
Of course I believe it does have something to say.
The Christmas story looks the darkness in the eye and says the light is stronger.
The Christmas story shows us the God who suffers with us, even suffers for us, in our place.
The Christmas story points us towards Easter (yes already, it was always all about Easter) and says that God has done something about IS- about terrorism- about cycles of violence and hatred.
Don't take my word for it, see what the dad of John the Baptist had to say:
Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
down the path of peace.*
*Ann Voskamp, 'The Greatest Gift'; Luke chapter 1
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