Today’s scripture: Isaiah 9:6 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Don Clark):
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
One of the hardest things for me to do is push away all the Christmas commercialism each year. Christmas product is in the aisles of every store even before Halloween! It seems every musician has to remake every single Christmas song into whatever genre they are trying to make money from. I just can’t handle a hip-hop Silent Night! For me, the Advent and Christmas season is a time to reevaluate the last year and not make resolutions but set goals for the coming year. It is a time of spiritual introspection. What did I do right? What can I improve on? What needs to go? It is a time of refocusing my energies, but also a time of refocusing on the real meaning of the holiday.
Since as early as middle school, I have been obsessed with the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation. As I have matured as a theologian, I have continued to preoccupy myself with this mysterious doctrine of God becoming a human like me. I return each Christmas season to the words of the prophet Isaiah, which I believe encapsulates the meaning of Christmas as well as the doctrine of the Incarnation.
Two thousand years ago, a child was born. This is the historical and very human Jesus. The gospels record the stories that have become part of our modern celebration of His birth and life. We retell the story of the angel Gabriel, the struggles of Joseph, the long trip to Bethlehem, the innkeeper, the stable with all the animals, the shepherds, angels, the Magi, the flight to Egypt, and the prophet Simeon and prophetess Anna. Simeon’s words have always been meaningful: “Mine eyes have seen your salvation.”
Two thousand years ago, a Son was given. God loved the world that God created so much that, in order to bring creation into a renewed relationship with the divine, God gave us the Son.
Isaiah tells us this very clearly. A child is born, and a Son is given. What is the meaning of this doublespeak? Isaiah gives us more to savor with the description of this Child/Son who would be called Jesus. This one will be called Wonderful… full of wonder! He is the Counselor… my counselor! He is the Mighty God… Emmanuel, God with us, the Everlasting God who became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Remember John’s words: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became a human and lived with us. And Isaiah says this Child/Son is the Prince of Peace. With all the bad news (and doesn’t it seem more harsh at Christmastime?), our peace comes from this little child born in an insignificant place. And how can it be? This child was and is the Son of God. God isn’t leaving us alone on this journey but has come himself to us as the Son of God who indeed is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting God, and the Prince of Peace.
So I can indeed push aside all the commercialism and the poorly recorded Christmas tunes. I can walk past all the gaudiness of the box stores. I don’t need Santa or reindeer or polar bears drinking soda. Why? Because this Holy Child makes all the difference for me!
Thoughts for the season: Who is Jesus really? What do the scriptures say about this Jesus? What does the Christ child mean to me? How will I reorder my life because of what I believe about the Son of God?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.