The Christmas Collision

“For those who feel their lives are a grave disappointment to God, it requires enormous trust and reckless, raging confidence to accept that the love of Jesus Christ knows no shadow of alteration or change. When Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened,” He assumed we would grow weary, discouraged, and disheartened along the way. These words are a touching testimony to the genuine humanness of Jesus.” ~ Manning

 I grabbed a drink and walked into our sanctuary as lunch was being served after a noonday Advent service and realized the room was divided. On one side sat the homeless, and on the other side sat everyone else. A game of musical chairs would’ve been fun at this point. My mind raced to this past Sunday’s sermon about the idea that one day, “The lion will lay down with the lamb.” A coming together. An unusual pairing. Very different worlds…colliding. 

Christmas (actually Jesus) seems at times to be a collision of contrasts. He’s Peace, in this season that often seems like chaos. He’s joy, even though this season, to many, brings with it feelings of pain. And in my own heart I felt a collision. Happiness that our homeless neighbors were with us, but my heart broke to see the separate groups, which for the most part were divided racially as well. Beneath the surface however, no doubt, God is doing an amazing work. A fusion. A coming together. I’m convinced that even as heaven touches earth, angels were in that room…but they didn’t wear their name tags. 

Imperfect, tough, or lonely Christmas? You’re in good company. Christmas lights may illuminate trees and houses, but The Light of Christmas illuminates a “Beautiful Collision” where Messiah meets our mess. His royal robe traded in for dirty stable. That divine meeting of God the Father, with mortal man, through the humanness of Jesus. 

My prayer is that this beautiful collision becomes a beautiful collage of God and Jesus, living in you. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Phil 1:6

Last Few Thoughts: 

~ Open any Christmas card and you’ll find that when you get glitter on you it has a way of winding up on your face your hands and everywhere. And it doesn’t come off easy. I think Jesus is like that. 

~ Anyone or any cause that is worth our time, thought, and compassion this time of year, is also worth it January thru November.

~ Ever got a gift with “batteries not included?” Well, if your life was one big gift to Jesus this season, would this sticker on the outside of the box say, “Jesus included?”

There’s no place like HOPE,

Stefan