As I was praying this morning, I was thinking about my new grandson, and praying for him, of course, but I was thinking just how small and fragile he is. If you're like me, just holding a newborn is an experience - like, before I take him I want to cover the floor in rubber, cover the rubber with pillows, and cover the pillows with marshmallows, just in case - you know what I mean.
So that got me thinking - in the incarnation, when the Word became flesh, and divinity took on humanity - I guess we (or maybe just I) sometimes forget how utterly helpless and fragile a newborn is. So God didn't just accept the pain and suffering and death that Jesus experienced as an adult, he also was willing to take on that absolute vulnerability which we all experienced but don't remember. As adults, some of us experience more vulnerability and helplessness than others, but to whatever extent we experience that, the Divine Word took it to the max by being willing to come into the world as a newborn. The incarnation is not only a self-limitation (Phil 2), but also a willingness to accept that absolute vulnerability. And with that, comes the total willingness to be completely dependent on (in Jesus' case) Mary and Joseph.
I think we can all do better in letting go of having to control everything and allowing ourselves to be more dependent (more trusting) on God for our lives and our futures.
I hope to see you in just over 2 hours for The Journey!
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
This was for March 24th, recorded for the Ascension App
Thanks for your patience - here is our next installment of The Journey - it's session # 96, but I'm also calling it PART 1 of a "miniseries" on John chapter 6.
Whoever watches it first, please let me know if it looks good or if there are any problems with it - I get through the first two sections of the text on the feeding of the 5,000.
Enjoy!
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
