with us

I heard someone say once that we all have our heresies. I believe this is true. As long as the world is filtered through our cloudy human lenses, we're simply going to see off, or poorly, and in the straining to see, will make guesses at that way the universe is constructed.

Because we just want to know, WHY. That's it. That simple.

I have this heresy. It's a Christmas heresy. It goes something like this: Jesus didn't come to make justification for us...recompense before an angry God demanding blood for the sin of his fallen humanity.

I think Jesus was God's justification to us...his act of total solidarity and a once for all human fleshly response that says, "I am here. I am with you."

What was the question? I wonder. I wonder if Jesus isn't God's ultimate response to Job who amidst his meaningless ashes cries out "Why?" Except God never just answers straight up. Job asked "Why?" God's response? His presence. Immanuel. God with us. Not justification for us. Just a quiet, humble, but persistent insistence..."I am here. You are not alone. You cannot escape my love. You cannot escape me. When the ashes persist and overwhelm, I am there. When the seas rise, I am there. When the loved one dies, I am there. When you die, I will be there. In the midst of your sin, I will be there. When you walk away from me, you will actually be walking towards me. And I will be there."

Somehow, in a world full of mall shootings, ancient hatreds, fundamentalists with bombs and guns, and the everyday sin that erodes our human lives, there is this quiet answer to the question, "Why?"

The "whys" won't ever go away. But then again, neither will Immanuel. This Christmas, this is still enough.

May you experience his "present" justification this Christmas.

Nathan