Our Savior is Born

"...She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  Matthew 1: 21

Sin is a reality that distorts God's natural order of His creation.

Sin is missing the mark of God's ordered trajectory, His perfection. Like a javelin's path is curved by the gravitational pull so is sin distorts and derails the path of life (Shalom) God intended for humanity. Sin makes us dead to any awareness of this distortion of God's creation order. We cannot see this unless we are awakened by the Holy Spirit. Sin is so perverse it continues to remain hiding, diminishing in our minds its malignancy, its destructive power. We excuse ourselves by comparing ourselves to 'others' - those despicable ones who deserved to be punished. Or we continue in our sinful existence and allow others' by saying things like 'to err is human'.  Some times we find ways to cover itself behind outward morality. It's deception is so deep that we think that we can earn God's favor and merit by this outward obedience and we elevate ourselves and look down upon our neighbor. 'Sin is the underlying trauma of all trauma' said my Pastor last Sunday. It's a poison that presents itself as sweet wine and in its promised stupor oblivious victims stagger towards their sure and slow demise.

The Jewish nation longed for God to save them from physical effects of sin, their slavery and oppression under alien nations as well as their burden of spiritual disobedience, the breaking of the law of God given to them through Moses. The endless sacrifice of innocent animals to atone and purge their guilt before God got them tired and they longed for God's salvation. God's deliverance came through Jesus, the promised Messiah, the anointed one. Yes! Jesus will save His people from their sins! The great news is that it is a universal call to all of us who suffer under the burden and effects of sin. May we meditate on the wonder and amazement of this potent call and let our pains, sufferings and anxieties over the next year be absorbed by this healing message that Jesus will save His people from sin, the malady of all maladies and the trauma of all trauma! May we draw near to Jesus and find His grace greater than our sins, a balm that heals our sorrows this season and in the coming year. 

"Orphan Girl" is one of my favorite songs by Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. As much as l love this song and easily identify with my default orphan tendency, the Gospel calls me to enter into the household/family of God in the present reality, with far greater intensity. 

Paul lays out this glorious Gospel in Romans 8 wonderfully. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (v.1) and freedom (v.2). The Spirit of God who dwells in us is the Spirit of adoption and we are sons and daughters of God to Whom we call out as "Abba! Father!" through the same Spirit. By this Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh (v.13) We live in the present reality, what N.T. Wright calls the 'interlocking of heaven and earth' facing trials and sufferings as we identify with Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King. We face sufferings not as orphans but as children of God in close communion with Him through the intercession of the Spirit of God who dwells in us; also, it tells Christ Himself interceding for us (v.34b). And in this context Paul tells the believers that 'all things work out for the good for those who are called out for this purpose'. The purpose is to dwell in the present reality- the 'interlocking of heaven and earth', to intercede, suffer with hope as God's image bearers (divine sons and daughters) longing with the rest of creation for the glorious fulfillment of the kingdom. 

Another great song with the orphan theme is Mark Heard's 'Orphans of God' which does indeed capture the existential reality of the adopted ones (in the sight of the world they are 'orphans of God') living in the tension of the interlocking of heaven earth. Nevertheless, the orphan tendency comes out quite easily in the midst of our trials unless we constantly remind ourselves of the Gospel truths. Children of God are not to suffer as orphans!

Went for the US citizenship interview today. Hurrah! I passed the exam without faltering in any one of the civic questions, writing a basic sentence and reading a similar sentence with four words. Happy, got into my car and turned on the CD player to listen to Kelly Joe Phelps's "Brother Sinner and the Whale" and the song came "Goodbye to Sorrow". Here it is:

lyrics

In the eyes of the Lord I am redeemed,
He has purified my blood and washed me clean,
I have said goodbye to sorrow as I lay before the cross,
His goodness and His mercy saved a child that was lost,
In the eyes of the Lord I am redeemed.

In the word of the Lord I have a home,
I don't have to fight temptation on my own,
sending prayers on up to heaven through the wonder of his name,
brings a fire into my spirit while the blessings fall like rain,
In the word of the Lord I have a home.

Through His love and by His mercy I am free,
He has loosened all the chains that binded me,
now I raise my hands in glory as I give my life to prayer,
my soul is being helped along by faith in His great care,
Through His love and by His mercy I am free.

My God came to earth a humble man,
as part of a divine and master plan,
when they crucified our Saviour He set the captives free,
that death would lose dominion over you and over me,
My God came to earth a humble man.

I have said goodbye to sorrow as I lay before the cross...

bible verse

Matthew 18:11-12

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

Luke 19:10

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Romans 6:9-11

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Acts 12:7

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.