And the Word was made flesh
Incarnation, such a big word, and we seem to hear it at Christmas more than any other time of the year. But what does it really mean?
John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. …He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not… And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:-5; 1:10; 1-11; and 1:14)
This is such a beautiful, profoundly deep passage and one of my favorites. But as A. W. Tozer points out the words that are so powerful here are not big words with deep meaning, it is two little words in verse 10 that hold a profound truth, ‘he came’. They are, as Tozer writes, “…the confirmation of the incarnation, God came in the flesh!” (Tozer, 2016)
Quiet Solitude
This morning as I sit and look out my kitchen windows into the grey dawn, I watch the long lacy branches of the elm trees, now almost completely bare, dance in the cold wind. The beauty of their dance silhouetted against the gray light of dawn, fills me with a sense of awe. My heart is peaceful and still and filled with gladness for a sabbath day of rest, a day to stop the ever constant going and doing of work and the season and the never-ending busyness of daily life. It is a day to linger longer in the stillness and find pleasure in this moment, in this season of the year and in this season of my life.
I love the quiet solitude, but there is also in this moment a sadness, and as I sit and stare out into the coming light of dawn, I let those feelings come too. This is my first Christmas living alone. My children have all been adults for more than a decade, so I know this season has been a long time in coming as first one and then another have returned home to gather their bearings and leave again. I am thankful that home has been a sanctuary to which they can return, and I am equally thankful that they each have their own path.
My sorrow is not for the absence of adult children, but for the first time I simply know what it feels to be alone without a partner or a spouse. I don’t long for marriage or companionship, but simply hold both sorrow and joy, and in holding both, I am reminded, “He came.” And I find comfort in these simple words.
Christmas Griefs
While Christmas is a time to enjoy family and friends, for many it is also a time when the absence of loved ones is acutely felt. The grief of a November or December loss may feel doubly devastating because of the holidays. For whether we like it or not, as Timothy Keller writes, “Christmas is the only Christian holy day that is also a major secular holiday – arguably our culture’s biggest. (Keller, 2016) And my heart aches for those who have lost loved ones unexpectedly or those who hoped to have ‘just one more Christmas’ only to have those hopes dashed as death comes in December.
And yet, there amid human suffering and loss, He came. He came to a broken and hurting world. He came for you. And He came for me. So, whether this is your first Christmas alone in a season of recent loss and great grief, or it is your twenty-first Christmas alone and you feel the dull ache of loss resurfacing, I pray you find peace in knowing, He came.
Shelia, you are brilliant. Love you dear friend.
I don’t know about brilliant, but I’m glad to be loved! Blessings to you, sweet friend!