Jesus Part Three

In the chaos of an overcrowded little town of Bethlehem You come,
Come into our crowded and chaotic lives anew, we pray.

Inconspicuously You enter the through the back barn door,
Come into our hearts with a patient persistence again, we pray.

Ironically, You come into the very moment Rome was exerting it's control through a census,
Come into our lives where we can cling so tightly our knuckles turn white afresh, we pray.

Initially it was only You and Mary, the Godbearer, and Joseph, the one who risked the misunderstood stares of others who stood in that scratchy, smelly straw of the barn...
Come into our moments of reluctance and resistance that we might bear Your love this day, we pray.

Into that holy disruption called birth came another unexpected, even unwelcomed, knock at the door as shepherd, those who lived at the margins of the world, sheepishly came following the counsel of angels...
Interrupt our lives afresh this night in unexpected, even unwelcomed ways that we might hearing the unfolding hark of angels singing to us.

You came not with military might or prestige or power or all the ways we define success,
You came, O Emmanuel ~ with us and for us ~ in a most peculiar way.
You came not with bright lights of fireworks but an ordinary twinkling tiny star against the night sky.
You came not with demands, but an open invitation.
        Let us respond with an emphatic yes.
You came to the lakeshore and called disciples to follow.
        Let us drop our to-do list and busyness to keep following.
You came to the Pharisee's house and called for him to see a woman washing your feet.
        Let our eyes continually be open to each other.
You came to Zacchaeus' house, baffling us that you would associate with him.
       Let us continued to be baffled by Your ways.
You came to the dark night of the soul,
       Let us keep searching for You even in struggle, suffering, and stress.
You came to a cross not with anger or hate, but with a word of forgiveness.
       Let that convict and challenge our lives.
You came to a garden and whispered the name, Mary, to open her eyes to the mystery of Easter.
      Let us hear You whispering our name in the mystery of this hour.

Come, o come, Emmanuel into the advent of this messy moment of our lives with compassion and challenge we need every day.

Amen.