How many times have I heard this Isaiah text proclaimed on Christmas Eve from a cute kid usually dressed up as an angel, shepherd or at least wearing special Christmas dress clothes? I have to give it to Ann - she does an amazing job weaving her poetic words around the picture of a great light piercing through the darkness! I think it should be set to music. Some piece that starts hushed and foreboding and then the kicks in with instruments full throttle - maybe horns. Any ideas?
Anyway, back to her words. Love the picture she creates and then the line - A fire that the people walking in darkness did not set - but that they saw. (137) This highlights the utter depravity of mankind. And to take it a step further, I would even add that even being able to see the fire is a gift of God's grace we can't do on our own. A light that the people in the dark couldn't ignite, couldn't inflame, and couldn't fabricate - but could only find. I would add - the light "finds them".
And then I love the paragraphs on 138 and 139 that start with "Our God" - just beautiful poetry! I could read them over and over. We are saved from our loneliness because God is love and He can't stand to leave us by ourselves, to ourselves.
That is the message of Christmas! (139)
Isaiah foretells the coming Messiah using descriptive, specific names and brings hope and light to a dark world lost in sin and despair. Wonderful Counselor - the coming Messiah will be a King! Mighty God - stresses his Divine Power. Everlasting Father - He will be an enduring, compassionate provider and protector (Concordia SS). Prince of Peace - Heals the brokenness between God and man and brings real peace through the cross.
I have to admit near the end of this chapter is where I get a little confused with what she's writing and I think it can be understood correctly but maybe needs some clarity - at least I do. The sentence starting at the end of page 139 and going onto 140, she writes - There's no going back and living in the dark etc. Well, you could go back. I don't know why you'd want to but Christians do loose faith - Scripture warns us of this. We can turn our backs, not hear God's Word or participate in Communion and cut ourselves off. Maybe I'm taking this too literally?
And then the following paragraph that starts It's Christmas that dawns on you, and you only really believe in Christmas when you really live it. etc. "Really live it" - what does that mean? I recall the passage in Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. But I would add to this paragraph that we can only be lights through the Holy Spirit that equips us with this privilege. Maybe it rubs me the wrong way because it's not clear here (to me anyway) that this has to do with our lives of sanctification and not our justification which is complete in Christ. Any thoughts here?
Question #2 - Where light has dimmed for a Christian, God provides His glow through the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. We humans are fickle, emotional creatures! God has provided objective truth that brings our attention back to Him and what He has already accomplished through Christ.
5 comments:
I realize I'm a day late in responding to this but just this morning one of my morning readings from Martin Luther's Christmas Book was so timely and I feel I need to share it -
"This is the way to observe this feast - that Christ is formed in us. It is not enough that we should hear his story if the heart be closed. I must listen, not to a hisotry, but to a gift. If I tell you that someone on a certain mountain peak has picked up a hundred gulden, you will say, "What is that to me?" But if you are the one who has picked it up, you will be joyful. What is it to me if someone else has goods, honors, riches, and a pretty wife? That does not touch the heart. But if you hear that this Child is yours, that takes root, and a man becomes suddently so strong that to him death and life are the same." I thought this helped a bit in clarifying the question raised in Anne's (Page 140)"It's Christmas that dawns on you, and you only really believe in Christmas when you really life it..." I saw, read and felt the same concern as you, Rachel. Then read Luther this morning and immediately thought he expressed the idea better. Susanne
Jim and I had the same concerns as you, Rachel, and then I read Susanne's notes. A good clarification. The Holy Spirit can certainly build faith in us and make us to bear fruit. But we certainly have the ability, thanks to our old sinful Adam to fall away and deny God. Not like it's anything we like to see happen but we know that it does in fact happen. Which is why it is such a blessing when we see peoples lives bearing fruit. Not by anything they have or own, but by Christ's first fruits. A lovely picture, and a more important thought, in my opinion.
Funny - I just got out that Christmas book yesterday! Yes, that's a great quote by Luther to better express a proper understanding of this section. Thanks for sharing it and for sharing your thoughts, Janine.
On page 138, I noted the paragraph: "Christmas cannot be bought. Christmas cannot be created. Christmas cannot be made by hand, lit up, set out, dreamed up. Christmas can only be found." I didn't even think about the fact that "I cannot by my own thinking or choosing [...or seeking...] believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him." But I love Ann's point that we don't MAKE Christmas by all that we do to prepare. God GIVES us Christmas in our hearts. It does take effort during this crazy season, however, to quiet my spirit so that I can ponder and appreciate that light. If all the effort that went in to gifts and decorating and food preparation would go into quieting our spirits and meditating on the light that is dawning, on the branch that is growing, how brightly our lights would shine!!!
Also on page 138, "Our God who breathes stars in the dark - He breathes Bethlehem's Star, then takes on lungs and breathes in stable air. We are saved from hopelessness because God came with infant fists and opened wide His hand to take the iron-sharp edge of our sins." Whew.
I was thinking that Ann's words on page 140 may not be intended exactly as an "when... then" statement, but rather express, like James, that the two things coexist. Just like faith without deeds is dead, when we really believe in Christmas, we will actively live it.
I loved the idea on page 140 that "When you really believe in Christmas, you believe there is really hope for everyone." There are those who is is just easier to write off. It's sometimes easier to shake your head and turn your back and move on. But God didn't do that to me. Dare I treat anyone else like that?
Question 1 - I struggled to figure out what it would mean for Christ's light to shine on a particular area of my life. It seems like it's an "all-or-nothing" type of situation, unless we are coming from the perspective of the law shining a light on a particular sinful attitude, and then we can kind of hide certain areas of our life - not from God, but from being honest with him and with ourselves. So that was a weird question, I thought.
Question 2 - I've always struggled to grasp the concept of hope. The certain anticipation of salvation, that make sense, but the world's concept of hope is somewhat elusive for me. I wondered whether she was referring to the world's concept of hope or to the hope of salvation. Has the hope of salvation dimmed for me? Not really. Have my emotions and energy level and spiritual intensity dimmed? Definitely, but those are not the same as hope, are they? I seek the brightening of my spiritual energy level by regular contact with the means of grace, as Rachel mentioned. It's not as if we can OCCASIONALLY ask God to ignite our spiritual energy, and then for a while we're good. We need to be fed CONSTANTLY!
Question 3 - Share Jesus!!!
More good thoughts:)
the quote you mentioned on "breathes stars in the dark" is poetry. Whew, indeed!
And yes, I would agree with your comment about faith produces fruit as believing in Christmas produces living it. Great way to put it!
"hope for everyone" - yes, I need to remember that more in how I see outreach opportunities.
Post a Comment