We are all ready for our Christmas eve breakfast, which my gracious mother is going to cook for us and almost 40 guests. I am looking for to much bulging of walls in our mobile home tomorrow. We will be packed in, and bellying up like a million piranha surrounding a steak in a goldfish bowl. (sorry, it is late at night, and I know, my humor is stupid)
Since we are on the Eve of Christmas, I want to point out the beauty of the coming of the Messiah. To quote one of my favorite authors, Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
"Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Oh, the wonder of Christmas."This is the celebration of a baby. A child. This child is the one who has cast out the dragon. I repeat, a child! This man's best plan was to die. And that is the beauty of it. The absurdity to our frail human minds has a hard time wrapping them around the idea that an end is not really an end. It is simply a beginning to a new reality, or, if you will, a continuing reality. So a death is actually a birth. It is a spring-pad for the soul. For one, death launches the soul into eternity, whether that is with or without God (that reminds me of a song. Never mind.) It is also a birth for a great many things here on earth. Think of all the great things that come from dying, decaying things.
Picture in your mind a dead carcass. It doesn't matter what kind of carcass you're picturing, but if you are unimaginative, I'll suggest a cow. So you have this carcass. It is probably on the ground (or buried in it), freshly dead. Now fast forward 2 days. The carcass is still there, but now it is full of life somehow. You start smelling it. That reeking odor? You don't think that comes from stuff that ceases to exist do you? Nay, that is not the smell of death. Billions of bacteria are now consuming that body, letting off foul smells that we like to call "death," and making the carcass quite a home for quite a few other creatures who will soon take up residence like a band of Slavs migrating into that apartment complex that was just built down the street (If they haven't already).
That carcass is now a home. A feast. A miniature celebration, soon to be writhing and flowing with guests, ever increasing in size. To quote my favorite philosopher lion, it is indeed a "circle of life."
Now we will have a feast tomorrow, we will think it a bit more refined (we are using plates, after all), but it will be writhing in guests just the same, and we will leave better fed than when we came, enjoying dead things that are really life-givers. So when you think of it, the fact that Jesus could do so much and conquer so greatly by dying actually fits in with the natural order of things. Death is a beautiful thing. There is only that surprising truth that death that is sad, but not depressing. It is victorious, yet it is never joyous. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
Grief always precedes joy. Why? I don't know. But it is a beautiful reality, that when we are low, Christ is brought high.
"When you lead me to the valley, it's there I see you in the heights. And though my humbling wouldn't be my decision, it's there your glory shines so bright. So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown, to be low is to be high, that the valley is where you make me more like Christ."So enjoy your Christmas. Enjoy celebrating the birth of the Saviour Child. And make merry! Sing and celebrate!
P.S. And now, because I love Christmas music so much, a song from one of my favorite bands, U2, Happy Xmas (War Is Over). I really like the rawness of this performance. Please excuse the video quality.
Lastly, If you like Christmas carols, I suggest you turn some on. All Classical's Festival of Carols is going on through Christmas, and it is absolutely the most beautiful music you will ever hear.
What is Christmas Adam? I'm serious, I've never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Your analogy is funny.
ReplyDeleteAll that talk about death before life, grief before joy, reminded me of Psalm 30:5.
Comes before eve! Duh! Lol
ReplyDeleteEve, as in Christmas Eve refers to evening. The evening before a day is called the eve. It has nothing to do with Adam and Eve. I've never heard the term Christmas Adam, and using an expression like duh isn't conducive to telling someone what you mean. So using the term Christmas Adam because it comes before eve still makes no sense. The day before the eve is called day. 12/24 is the day before Christmas, there is no such thing as Christmas Adam.
ReplyDeleteAre you joking? Because I was. I know all that. [duh]
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I was not being condescending. I was cracking a joke. Second of all I think Jesus would agree with me if I called you two a brood of vipers. I see the sorts of things you have written to all those who have left a chip on your shoulder that you just *cannot* seem to shake. You add to words, assuming extremes of all the arguments that are used by fundies. To be sure, I agree with you that many are FAR out there, to a point that I take high issue with. But you can't be so dull as to not get a simple pun and pretend to be "Christian" in your response. That's a lie.
ReplyDeleteIf I sound like a racist jerk to you all, fine. Be that way. In my defense, I am not, despite my bad jokes. I have a good friend that lives in Czhecoslovakia, as well as a few "black" friends.
Ps The anonymous comment will be remover until you identify yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhy would having friends in Czechoslovakia disprove one's racism. Aren't Czechs white?
ReplyDeleteThis would only not help if I was arguing for aryan supremacy. If I was to argue for such a cursed philosophy, then you would have already seen my arguments for evolution as well as an old earth.
To be honest, I don't care how long you fellows have been Christians. Why don't you guys get some cahones, and quit being anonymous. If you're not careful, people will mistake you for the stinky smelly hippie occupy movement.
I am certainly not afraid of dissenting comments. Bring it on, but follow the rules. Leave some names. I may even set up a Skype call one of these days, if you all think you can hammer me. Upcoming post: the invincible gospel.
You can have your comment back as soon as you identify yourself. If you are not willing to post your name here, don't comment.
ReplyDeleteI did not know I could sign up on freejinger. I did it. You did hit a nerve. Mostly all that talk about me being 'only 19' and being thereby disqualified somehow. It really set me off. Please, I hate being underestimated all the time because of my age, on and off the internet and to be honest, this is part of my pride that I have trouble with. For that I apologize.
I don't know if you got or not in my comments, but I was really angry with you all, and I forgot that you have nothing to go by but your first impression and the little you can glean from my words. Again, I apologize for my anger. Currently my account is being 'reviewed' whatever that means so I can join. I am serious about that skype call. When I get my account, I will try to initiate it via sending my skype name to 'theformergothardite' in a PM.
Lastly, i put 'black' in quotes, because I don't like to call people black. Besides, they are more brown in color, but it matters not. They're people, and don't deserve to constantly be referred to as black, as though they are something different from the rest of us. As for the Slav comment: I haver nothing against slavs. It was just a simile, motivated by weird late night bad humour. I recently worked in a beautiful apartment complex, that was full of nothing but them, building ramps. I loved those people. They were amazing gardeners. And my Slovak friend always corrects me that he is not czech. His name is Tomas, and I met him when I was a Staff member for a Boy Scout Camp for a week. We hit it off, and have kept in touch since.