Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
Christ steps into our world at Christmas not for the first time but in a new way. As I was reading in John 1 this morning I am reminded of the One who was, is and is to come. He made Himself nothing, taking on the nature of a servant. You cannnot make yourself something if you have not been in the first place. Christ already was and now steps into our world and is then exalted to the highest place. He was and is and is to come.
The Advent season does not press pause on the rest of life for us. It happens in the midst of life, of joys and tears. For those in church leadership there is still the walking through of life and death with their congregations. Funerals and nativity services may be taking your time. Prepping for a carol service alongside walking with someone wrestling with life and faith. Christ steps into our life in all that it holds.
Our prayer for those in ministry is that as you hold your hands open to the coming of Christ you can do that in the midst not of a perfect Advent/Christmas set of services but in the midst of life. That this journey of Advent and wonder of Christ who steps into our own lives and the lives of those in the pews and those who only come to church at Christmas or don’t come at all goes hand in hand with all that our lives have playing out day by day. Having everything ‘just so’ for Advent doesn’t stop Christ stepping in and dwelling with us. That is worth lifting our praise and thanks up to God.
Joshua's Tree Rooted 