Bethlehem Bound

 

And not one thing exists that he did not create

 

Begin this morning by speaking your Advent word aloud and listening for how the Eternal Echo responds to your voice.

 

Not one thing…or put a positive spin on this…everything.  Everything, everywhere exists because of God’s creativity.  You.  Me.  That squirrel outside my window and the tree s/he is scurrying around.  My neighbor.  The person who frustrates and flummoxes me.  The person who hurts me.  The person who loves me.  The vampire bat that swoops in, skimming my head.  The dog that places his head in my lap, letting me feel unconditional love and peace.  Everything, everywhere, was envisioned and imprinted with God.

 

Wait. 

 

What do you mean the person who yelled at me?  What do you mean the animal that dug up my tomato plants?  What do you mean the leader on the news who makes my blood boil?

 

How can that be part of God’s good creation?

 

I don’t know.  There is plenty of evidence to object to God’s goodness in this world.  There are plenty of hard hearts like Herod in Jesus’ birth narrative who hurt and harm children, rob the dignity and divinity of fellow humans.  There are plenty of people who use their free will like a sword to throw hate around. 

 

The hurt and harm are real.  The hurt and harm threaten to steal our hope and peace. And God’s love is infused and implanted in everything.  Whether we decide to live from that place or not has been the mystery of human life since the very beginning.  Why does Cain kill Abel?  Why does Pharaoh enslave God’s people?  Why does Babylon come crushing in destroying, and devastating lives?  Why does God’s love incarnate hang from a cross?  Why do people today still act as though the mystery of this world should author our lives with a hope, peace, love, and joy?  Why do we act as though God is distant because we cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is present?  Why do barriers block us from encountering the Divine?  Why do we feel justified in hating?  These questions will never have answers.  I can either let the frustrating mystery of people lead me to bitterness or break me open.  I can either act as if nothing is a mystery or everything is.  I can either arrive at Bethlehem this year exhausted or excited that something new is being birthed.  As J. Drew Lanthem says, “God prefers wombs,” and I would add tombs.  God works through a beautiful darkness, helping us to collaborate with a Creator who is still fashioning and forming you and me and everything, everything, everything, and everyone we encounter today.  May God’s peace/shalom/wholeness/healing and presence hold and enfold you this week.  Amen.