I was thinking about the Christmas story today. I like John 1, "1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. " It is so neat, clean and cerebral. Which is precisely why reading the Christmas story in Luke is so necessary. The story in Luke is much messier: arbitrary Roman edicts, difficult travel, no room at the inn, a young woman with a sullied reputation, a long suffering and patient man. That of course is the central part of the Christmas story - that God sent His only begotten Son into the mess that is humanity to redeem us and draw us up into heaven to be reconciled to Him. Beauty at Christmas is fine - listening to Handel's Messiah, looking at pastoral pictures, enjoying delicious food with family and friends - it's all good. But the essence of Christmas is that in a chaotic and messy world, a loving God arrived as one of us to bring us His peace then, now and forevermore. Amazing.
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