StrAngels
No Credit
Living cross-culturally adds another level of tension to our lives. I need to keep these small frustrations in perspective. The Incarnation story helped me this week. I’m from another country where my credit worthiness has been established. Why should I expect instant entrée here in Panama. But what would it be like to deserve every recognition, every privilege … and receive none? That’s what Jesus Immanuel endured for me!
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 1 John 9-11
The Other Wiseman
Advent
Had Jesus, the Immanuel of Bethlehem, not gone to cross to bear the rightful sentence for our sins … none of us could ever hope to face him at his Second Coming. His gift should be more than enough to make your Christmas Merry!
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
My Adoption
After years of infertility, some missionary friends of ours decided to adopt in the country they’re serving. The path they traveled was fraught with hurdles and heartaches. They were examined by doctors and psychologists. Their home was inspected and they were forced to plow through miles of red tape on numerous occasions. But finally, they have a beautiful five-year-old girl.
I was amazed by the last step in the process. It must have been the most daunting of all. Once they had been approved by everyone else, they had to be accepted by the child they were trying to adopt. They had done more than she could ever imagine to bring her into their family. All the expense was theirs. They didn’t chose her based on her talents, fortune, looks or aptitude … the adoption process was fueled by their desire to love on an unloved child. But after all the love they had invested … in the end she had to ask to be part of their family.
I wept as I read the news of that last step in the adoption process. No human analogy is perfect, but this spoke to me of God adopting me as his child. He did all the work. He did it not based on anything in me, but on his propensity to love the unloved. He broke into my world and paid all the fees … and they were staggering! But in the end he did not force me to love him. I had to accept being accepted into his family.
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— John 1:11-12
Ah the beautiful mystery of God’s foreknowing adoption and our choice in receiving the gift! For more on your adoption, see Ephesians 1:3-14