Advent: Pretending - Thursday, December 19
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Philippians 2:10
One night, my wife, Kathryn, and I were driving our grandchildren, ages four and two, to see two of our other grandkids perform in a Christmas concert. We were singing Christmas songs when our four-year-old granddaughter asked if we had seen the movie, “Monster Inc.” Kathryn replied that we had, some years ago. I could almost hear the gears in our minds work as we tried to recall the movie from days gone by with many other obligatory kid movies seen since.
Kathryn asked McKinley if she had seen it recently. The reply from the car seat in the back was, “Yes.”
Kathryn asked, “When?”
McKinley replied, “When I was four.”
“Honey, you are four.”
“I know, but I like to pretend that I’m five.”
Out of the mouths of babes, right? How we do love to pretend!
As Christians, we know that Christmas is not about reindeer or elves or some bearded dude in a red suit, but we play along.
Christmas is about the miracle of God giving us a way back to Him through the birth of his Son into the fallen, miserable world we created because of our disobedience. What a miracle that was and is! There's no need to pretend Christmas is anything but the amazing gift it is!
Let us, also, not pretend that all is right and good in the world. People all around us, and particularly Native Americans are perishing - individuals, tribes, and nations – because they are not hearing, or experiencing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But we can work with God to change that!
Open our eyes and hearts, Lord, to the needs of those who are among us still – dispossessed, full of despair, and defeated. Bless the Lutheran Indian Ministries with our prayers and gifts. Help us to be good stewards of what you have given us. Amen.