making Him manageable...?

I heard it today... in a book on audio...

In the story of humanity --- so vast to us but brief to the universe --- we are told that in Jesus a startling moment has arrived. The Author is entering the play.

---John Ortberg, Who is This Man?

...in Jesus... The Author is entering the play...

Do we understand the magnitude... of this truth...?

I'm feeling as though the world... through Christmas... is trying to make Him manageable...

Minimizing Him... to fit... in a tiny manger...

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

John 1:14

Now this is the Word... that from the beginning... was with God... was God... and through Him... ALL things were made...

How can you fit that Word... into a tiny manger...?

For the word of God is living and active, 

sharper than any two-edged sword, 

piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, 

of joints and of marrow, 

and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

And no creature is hidden from his sight,

 but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him 

to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV

This is that same Word... the One made flesh... He came naked into the world... the One who divides... sees... and demands an account...

He does not fit... in a tiny manger...

Now I'm not knocking nativity scenes... I have a few... but do they really help us remember the startling impact of this moment...?

Are we too eager to manage the whole story... keeping it small...? How do we keep the Truth... the Reason... in the midst of all the fa-la-la-la-la...?

Last week I looked into the meaning behind the traditions of Christmas... primarily the decorations... and I was reminded the significance of the colors... green... red...

Green... it represents life eternal... as the holly... spruces... firs... are all evergreens...

But the red... the beautiful bows... on our evergreen wreaths... the red... it represents the blood... which makes the Way... for life eternal...

This tiny Babe... we make more manageable in a scene... was born to die... a horrific death...

The Author... the Word... entered the world to set His creation right... through His death on a cross... startling...

causing momentary fright... surprise... astonishment...

Simeon knew... as he told Mary... And a sword will pierce your own soul too...

This Baby... is not meant to be manageable... He is meant to be worshiped with awe...

For you have been born again, 

not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, 

through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

Consider how you might keep Him from being limited to a tiny manger... What reminder can you include to help you remember...?

This same Word... that fit in a manger...
Created...
Rescues...
and will...
Restore...

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Revelation 19:11-13