Advent Thoughts
The announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary and her response of ultimate, bold, courageous faith is told with such simplicity that we sometimes miss the wonder of God's incarnation. Just as we miss the immensity of so much of our Christian life and faith.
I need to feel the greatness of God and the littleness of me; his power and my inadequacy; his mercy and my unworthiness. He is everything while I am almost nothing in the total scheme of things.
But I also need a sense of wonder - that this great divide between us is the very thing which draws Him to me - which he crosses to invite me into his friendship - friendship with God the creator and sustainer of everything! And the greatest wonder - his love! His love is the vehicle of our meeting and of our growing friendship!
So hearing again of Gabriel's visit to Mary's and her response to God brings together for me the greatness of the Divine and the beautiful simplicity of his grace, and how the God/human divide is bridged by love - his love and our self giving devotion which accepts him, however challenging and impossible his ways may seem from our side!
The announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary and her response of ultimate, bold, courageous faith is told with such simplicity that we sometimes miss the wonder of God's incarnation. Just as we miss the immensity of so much of our Christian life and faith.
I need to feel the greatness of God and the littleness of me; his power and my inadequacy; his mercy and my unworthiness. He is everything while I am almost nothing in the total scheme of things.
But I also need a sense of wonder - that this great divide between us is the very thing which draws Him to me - which he crosses to invite me into his friendship - friendship with God the creator and sustainer of everything! And the greatest wonder - his love! His love is the vehicle of our meeting and of our growing friendship!
So hearing again of Gabriel's visit to Mary's and her response to God brings together for me the greatness of the Divine and the beautiful simplicity of his grace, and how the God/human divide is bridged by love - his love and our self giving devotion which accepts him, however challenging and impossible his ways may seem from our side!
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