It is the mystery of Christmas, the bewildering miracle, the amazing absurdity, the glorious impossibility, the wondrous gift. That God – the Almighty Creator of the Universe, the One who set the stars in their courses and brought into being all that is, the One who with a Word scattered darkness and chaos and who gives Life to all the Earth…that God would come down from the heavens, and not just take on our human flesh but come down…as a baby. Vulnerable, tiny, weak, and needy. And not just any baby, but a baby born to poor, peasant parents. He was not born in any royal palace, with nursemaids and silk linens, but in a stable, with dirty, stinky animals…and his bed a feed trough, a manger.

The mystery of Christmas, the bewildering miracle, the amazing absurdity, the glorious impossibility, the wondrous gift…is that God is in the manger. God is in the manger, and in all of the dirty, stinky places of our lives and in all the seemingly small and insignificant events in our lives. The message of Christmas is that God loves us so much that he willingly enters the muck and mire of humanity, into all its ugliness, sin, sorrow, shame, corruption, poverty and heartache as well as all of its beauty, gentleness, love and joy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who resisted the Nazi regime and was murdered in a Nazi concentration camp, wrote of this profound mystery in his book, “God is in the Manger,” and we will be using this book as the basis for our Advent devotions and study at First Lutheran this month. There are several opportunities available this Advent for enriching your journey to Christmas; I hope you will take advantage of one or all of them:

• E-devotions: The pastors have created a devotional, loosely following Bonhoeffer’s book. You do not need the book to use the devotions. See how to sign up below. You will receive one devotion each day during Advent and Christmas. Paper copies of the devotional will also be available.
• Sunday School: The Adult Forum will be using Bonhoeffer’s book as the basis for their conversation and study beginning November 30^th using a reflection booklet created by Pastor Scott and myself. Bonhoeffer’s book will be needed for this class.
• Family Devotional Materials: Every Sunday in the bulletin devotional material will be available to use around the Advent Wreath geared especially for families with children but fitting for families of all shapes and sizes.
• 12 Days of Compassion: Consider participating in 12 days of compassion and kindness during the 12 days of Christmas, which begin Christmas Day and extend to Epiphany, January 6, to give flesh to God’s love to your neighbors and those in need. Ideas and suggestions will be made available in the bulletin and through the E-devotions.

God is in the manger, in the deep trenches of our lives, walking with us in times of doubt and difficulty, bringing his glory and light to our darkness and despair, never avoiding our pain, but always transforming it…and us. God is in the manger, for his love for us has brought him that low, so that we might be lifted up. God is in the manger. What a wondrous gift, a glorious impossibility, an amazing absurdity, a bewildering miracle, the blessed mystery of Christmas.

Sign Up for Daily Advent e-Devotions:

• Click Here to access our online signup.
• Text GITM to (757) 993-7997 and follow the signup link.

Pastor Cathy