“King Herod heard Jesus was born and was disturbed” Matt.2:3
Lord Jesus, many of us enter this December 26th over-stuffed, under-slept, quite-tired, and truly grateful. Whether our Christmas gatherings have been sweet and easy, or tense and sad, thank you for coming into our broken world for broken people like us.
You didn’t come because we needed a personal valet, party concierge, or on-call masseur. Our greatest need is for a Savior who overflows with grace and truth—in copious amounts. You “fill the bill,” even as you “fill all things everywhere with yourself” (Eph.1:23).
No one understands messiness and brokenness like you, Jesus. Even your birthing experience underscores this. When you were a day-old, a “5-star” inn didn’t open up for your family, close to the best medical center with great post-natal care. In fact, soon your family would take you to Egypt, because evil (Herod) was determined to eliminate you early.
But this wasn’t an “unforeseen inconvenience.” For you didn’t just come to make your blessings flow, but also to stop the flow of all evil and brokenness. With your first breath in Bethlehem, and last breath at Calvary, everything changed. The promised Messianic kingdom of “righteousness, peace and joy” (Rm.14:17) showed up right on time (Gal.4:4-7).
Death began working backwards and demons started “quaking in their boots.” Sin and sickness, injustice and unkindness, mad and bad, harm and harming were all branded with an imminent expiration date. May that Day come soon, Jesus. Until then, give us grace for life in the already-and-not-yet of your Kingdom—and inside our own skin.
Help us not be shocked at how life, our relationships, and our own hearts will seem like the culinary contrasts of sweet and sour, cool and spicy, savory and acidic, creamy and crunchy. This is normal but not easy, so grant us merciful hearts, quick repentances, and Gospel-repair … ALL the way Home. So Very Amen.