If tomorrow morning you woke up and there were no Christmas lights no household decorations no Christmas trees or presents no family gathered for special meals…
If tomorrow morning you woke up and there was no jolly old St. Nicholas no Rudolph, sleigh, or reindeer no dream of festive fruit and food nor bottled Christmas cheer…
If tomorrow morning you woke up and all you had was only this story a Jewish baby born in a first century hovel another illegitimate child in Bethlehem “the love of God embodied in a baby”…
If tomorrow morning you woke up and on your lips were only the simple words “for unto you is born this day in the midst of our living one in whom you can experience God”…
Would it be enough?
Would it be enough to know that you are in the midst of all that God is… would it be enough to know that you are a part of God’s justice that might yet be…?
To see God through the window of this stable to know the spirit of God in the birth cry to feel the breath of God in the whimper to see the earthiness of God in the straw to experience the presence of God in flesh and blood…
To see God through the window of this stable to have the song of God ringing in our ears to be “blown away” by the power of God’s word to know that the dirt–the floor–is holy ground to be grounded in the being of God…
To see God through the window of this stable to have our ears burn as the disempowered are empowered to watch the world’s greatest humbled at the feet of the poor to know God, not in the somewhere out there, but in the every day to feel God in the heart-ache, to feel God in the laughter…
To see God through the window of this stable to see God not as a little baby, but as the ground of all that is alive to be moved to pursue the way of God in the wilderness to cherish every moment of every hour of every living thing to be as a Christ, as a God presence in the living that surrounds us…
Would it be enough?
Would it be enough to know that you are in the midst of all that God is… would it be enough to know that you are a part of God’s justice that might yet be…?
Here on Christmas Eve for many reasons!
It must be more than just the straw tickling a baby’s toe.
It must be more than a stable full of animals settling for the night.
It must be more than a manger holding new life.
It must be more than carols and candles…
Here on Christmas Eve for many reasons!
What a unique and privileged experience this is free to wander in unafraid and laughing unrestricted speech, stories of God and faith hope, peace, joy, love, and one called Jesus…
Here on Christmas Eve for many reasons!
A wonderful and wonder-filled time a time of God’s desire not to be separated from a time of God’s desire to be intimately acquainted with the women and men, the young and old of this world…
Here on Christmas Eve for many reasons!
To be joined with family and friends in a Holy moment for the praise of our God in word and spirit for the love of our God so graciously offered to witness to the birth of Jesus, a new way of being alive…
Would it be enough?
Would it be enough to know that you are in the midst of all that God is… would it be enough to know that you are a part of God’s justice that might yet be…?
If tomorrow morning you woke up and there were no Christmas lights no household decorations no Christmas trees or presents no family gathered for special meals…
Would it be enough?
Would it be enough to know that you are in the midst of all that God is… would it be enough to know that you are a part of God’s justice that might yet be…?
“For you have nothing to fear!…
I come to proclaim good news to you– news of a great joy to be shared…newness is born… Glory to God…And on earth, peace….”
God’s will to all!
Let us come and see…
Let us experience what God is making known.
by Dave Denholm, Stettler U.C., Stettler, Alta.
First published in Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany, 2004–2005. Reproduced here with permission of the author.