Merry Christmas!

Oh, New Year’s resolutions : )   This year along with the 12 or so other resolutions that I made, I decided that I wanted to read the whole Bible.   I don’t remember where I fell off of the wagon but I know that I didn’t even make it to Leviticus which is supposed to be where all resolutions go to die.   With time running out I decided to cheat and take another approach… a book that summarizes the Bible… spark notes, if you will, for those of you who also cheated in High School English class : ). 

The book that I started reading is really good (thanks Katie Harris for a great book recommendation, miss you and our theological conversations!).  It’s called “God’s Epic Adventure” and it outlines the Bible and explains the background and meaning behind many of the books. 

Reading my way through the Old Testament made me see and appreciate Christmas in a new way because I read the prequel so to speak.  If I had to further summarize the Old Testament I would summarize it as G0d’s relentless pursuit of His creation… This theme begins with Adam and Eve in the garden.  G0d could have had a variety of responses to their disobeying His commands and eating from the tree, but His response is to walk through the garden and call out “Where are you?”  From the beginning of time G0d has chosen to seek after as when we are lost or hiding.  Beginning with Exodus and continuing through the rest of the Old Testament, the story is basically the Israelites’ breaking covenant with G0d and Him finding ways to try to bring them back.  It’s both exhausting to read because you see the constant disobedience of humans, and heartbreaking to read, because you see a loving G0d that doesn’t give up on His children. He reaches out using a variety of sources and method, ranging from strong leadership like Moses, written guidelines like the Ten Commandments, hard knock methods such as conquest, different forms of leadership such as the Judges and Kings, wise words from prophets etc.  and STILL HIS people turn from Him.  Then the Old Testament ends. 

 I’m curious to know what the unfamiliar reader would predict would happen next.  Perhaps a flood, a massive fire, a volcanic explosion, something that wipes out mankind for our never ending rebellion, wickedness and contempt.  But instead, we get a silent night that is pierced by the sound a baby’s cry, we get a star pointing Wiseman to the birthplace of their new king, we get angels singing in the night, and most importantly we get Emmanuel “G0d with us” .  With Christmas we see that G0d’s pursuit of us stops at nothing… He sends us His son.  Even though mankind hides, runs and defies Him, He sends us J3sus.  

As I read through the Old Testament I was annoyed with the Israelites’…I wanted them to get it together.  But then I thought about myself.  I too have been through my ups and downs and have experienced G0d’s grace.   I too needed the gift of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.   

 
I don’t think that I ever read that story quite like that before.  I’ve never thought of Christmas as G0d’s merciful, loving, relentless pursuit of His children on not only a corporate level but on an individual level.  The baby in Bethlehem was G0d’s gift to capture our hearts and turn them towards Him.  This Christmas get lost in the AMAZING love story between a father and His children… the story of a patient and loving G0d that stops at nothing to bring us into relationship with Him.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!