“But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet.
However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a
little while
– it’s Jesus!”
Portions of Hebrews 2:8, 9 (Common English Bible)
This Christmas season finds us
rather bewildered, facing confusion, uncertainty and fear. The world seems
dangerously out of control and political leaders have failed to offer a neat
formula that can solve our problems or allay our anxiety. We seem a long way
from the promise of Isaiah that instruments of war will become farming
equipment. But as Christmas draws near, Hebrews reminds us of a man who lived
in a world not unlike our own, and yet, carried with him hope and confidence –
Jesus Christ. Specifically, Hebrews tells us that we may not yet see everything
“under control” but we do see Jesus!
Harry Emerson Fosdick once
commented that in pointing to Jesus, Hebrews does not seek to distract us from
realistic facts to a beautiful ideal; Hebrews is simply turning our attention
from one set of facts to another fact. Jesus is a fact. He lived and his life
left an indelible imprint upon the world. Some may question the nature of
Jesus, may question the identity of Jesus as anything more than a mortal, but
few question that Jesus lived. Yet, women and men of faith accept Jesus as
more; accept, as fact, that Jesus is God’s decisive interruption in history to
bring all things “under control”. Jesus is a towering, challenging, revealing
fact that casts a whole new outlook on the present groaning of life today.
In this season of Advent – a
season of anticipation – those faithful to the Lordship of Jesus see something
tremendous occurring in the midst of the daily news: they see the emergence of
a disruptive force that will overcome the wild, uncivilized and uncontrolled
powers that tear at the world. In the birth of Jesus, God announces that the forces
of darkness now have reason to tremble. No, we do not yet see all things “under
control” – far from it – but we do see Jesus! And that means that God is on the
move.
Our world today is one where fear
seems to grow unchecked and uncertainty enlarges upon our consciousness. But
God has come in Jesus to change the whole complexion of the world. What is
required is that we open ourselves to Jesus in a manner that he can get at us
and live in us so that he shapes our thoughts and behavior. One person of faith
after another, opening their hearts and minds to receive the transforming power
of God, makes all the difference in the world. That is our Christmas
confidence.
Joy,
From Doug Hood's Heart & Soul, Life Application Edition, now available on Amazon and available in the church in early January.
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