Preparing with Love- Advent Week 4

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But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times …

He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace …

–Micah 5v2,4-5a


All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

—Matthew 1v22-23

REFLECTION

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It’s a well-trod theme in the retelling of the Christmas story: the way King Jesus arrives subverts all expectations. Attend enough Christmas services each year, and you may grow numb to it.

Jesus is the humble king, born in an unsanitary stable in Bethlehem, far from the centers of power and prestige. The angelic announcements, given to obscure shepherds and foreigners, are a prelude to God’s invitational, upside-down kingdom. Bethlehem, Nazareth, the stable, the unwed teen — all of it is shocking and lowly, the marks of a different kind of King.

Except we’re not shocked anymore. For many of us, the unexpectedness of the nativity story has become expected. The magic wears off, like one too many Christmas showings of It’s a Wonderful Life (if such a thing were possible).

The Messiah comes to rule, to restore, to fight great battles, but the biggest thing he’s after may be our shalom with him.

The prophet Micah describes the coming Messiah as a ruler, but also a shepherd. He would not only exercise power to make things right in Israel; he would draw close to their story and intimately know their troubles. Later in Micah’s prophecy, we read that this Messiah will be our peace, or shalom. And this shalom is deeply connected to a restored ability to give and receive love from God.

If you’re the type who enjoys a good BibleProject explainer video, you may already know that shalom is a rich Hebrew word that suggests the ideal state of flourishing and wholeness. The Messiah will make our relationship with God, the earth, and each other complete, restored from a place of brokenness.

This shalom is not just the absence of conflict between us and God. The Messiah brings back to completeness our ability to enjoy love with God, without all the static and doubt. It means loving him fully, and opening ourselves to let him lovingly inhabit all parts of us.

For some of us, it’s easier to believe that God is coming to establish his rule and restore creation than it is to believe that he is coming to be near to us. But it’s true. As Henri Nouwen said, “being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” God is after more than behavior change or earnest activity for his kingdom. His name is Immanuel, God with us.

And so it may be that the most important thing we can do in preparing for the King is to open our hearts to him with vulnerability and trust. The King comes with unexpected kindness, healing, and affection. And we are invited to submit to this love.

This Advent Season, may we invite him into the deepest corners of our hearts, give him our full “yes,” and never tire of his unexpected love.

QUESTIONS:

When you imagine Jesus being near, what feelings come to mind? Joy? Fear? Shame? Rest? Love? Exposure? Why do you feel that way?

Does being beloved feel like the core truth of your existence? What has helped or harmed your sense of being Jesus’ beloved?