Locust eating, camel- hair wearing John the Baptist had a job to do and a message to preach -"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Why this message? Why make people repent when they may not want to hear that they're poor, miserable sinners? Maybe something happier might be more effective in getting them to listen. Something like - "Hey, everyone! Be happy because a really great guy who is also God's Son has come to walk the earth among us. Isn't that exciting?"
But no, he calls people to repentance for we are sinners in need of a Saviour. We don't know our need is met until we fully appreciate The Need. We don't grasp the significance of The Gift until we understand the significance of our sin. The law must be preached before the fullness of the Gospel is preached. That is John's calling.
Ann didn't touch upon the repentance aspect of it, maybe because she wrote more about it in another chapter. But it is still important to remember something we'd frankly like to forget about sometimes! In order to rest in the "wilderness" she talks about - which I'm all for - repentance comes first followed by the peace of forgiveness and the "rest" that follows. The wilderness offers you grace: we are most prepared for Christ, for Christmas, when we confess we are mostly not prepared. Rest here. There is room in us when we are done with us. (210) Preach it, sister!
It's Saturday and who is insane enough to go to the mall today or any retail establishment? Take this opportunity to stay home and Rest here and happy. You are unconditionally accepted and unbelievably wanted because you don't merely know of Him; you are related to Him by blood. (211) That's the beauty of the Jesse tree - that we can see His plan unfolding throughout time and how we are grafted into that tree by His blood!
Final thoughts for today? You are most prepared for Christmas when you are done trying to make your performance into the gift and instead revel in His presence as the Gift. (211)
"Unwrapping…" Even if the day finds us out and about, we can still rest in His presence!
2 comments:
SO I'm a little late coming into this book club...but better late than never:) I really appreciated your post today. After reading Ann's chapter, I kept thinking about the reading from Matthew and John the Baptist's role, wondering how his message of repentance was preparing the way for Christ. And then I read your post and, boom, there it was: to appreciate the Gift, the answer to our sin, we first must recognize the severity of our need. And then Ann's thoughts made more sense: I can rest in Him because I am forgiven; I can be happy like a child because I am forgiven; I can focus on Christ and not solely on making a spectacular, memorable Christmas for my family because we are celebrating that we are forgiven. Great reminder! I, too, liked this quote: "You are most prepared for Christmas when you are done trying to make your performance into the gift and instead revel in His presence as the Gift."
So glad you could join even late in the game! Thanks for your comments. May God continue to bless your Christmas preparation of both heart and home:)
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