An Advent devotion I wrote for Newberry College:
December 24, 2018
He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. -John 1:11-14
I lived in the same house from when I was born to when I moved out to go to Newberry College for my studies. With other kids on the block, we grew up doing so many things together such as having snowball fights, cycling around the cul de sac, and getting lost in the woods by my house. While I lived in the same city on the same street in that same house, I know that this isn’t the norm. Even in my neighborhood, throughout the years, many different people moved into the houses right next door and across the street. Each came with different backgrounds and different stories. All we met and welcomed them to be a part of our lives, then some we sadly said goodbye to them.
In the same way, we read this introduction written by John in his gospel that describes the Word that “became flesh and lived among us.” I love the Message paraphrase of this verse as it says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” John points to the Word as Jesus Christ, who comes in flesh and blood, invading our space, our neighborhoods, and even our cozy lives. In a striking and surprising move, the author of the gospel writes first about Jesus – holy and righteous – moving into the neighborhood of people like you and me – unholy and unrighteous. In some ways, Jesus moves into the bad part of town – the place you or I might not venture – and makes a home there, dwelling with people who love him but also people who hate him.
After much anticipation, we celebrate this cosmic move on Christmas Eve, when God demonstrates his love for us as Jesus moves into our neighborhoods filled with hurt, pain, and rejection. The truly surprising thing is that Jesus stays. He doesn’t talk with his real estate agent saying that he didn’t know what the neighborhood was like, or tries to either sell his property, or sublet it to another person on the market. Instead, in the midst of humanity, Jesus makes his dwelling there, with no intention of moving out, so that we might know God, who is full of grace, love, and truth. This is what we celebrate tonight (Christmas Eve): Our long-awaited Savior has come to deliver us and remain with us! He comes into this world, to make a dwelling among us so that we might be know God. So, prepare yourselves… because God is moving in.
RE: Orthodoxy 