advent 2011: day 12

little sister wasn't really interested
in going to sleep
at a reasonable hour last night.
and as i tried every ploy i could think of
to convince her to fall asleep,
i pondered the absurdity
of God himself
entering our world
as a baby.

why would he do that?
why would the God who created everything,
who knows everything,
who sustains everything,
who is above everything,
choose to join us in our humanity
in the form of a baby?

a baby who is born
with puffy ears and a squashed nose
from his journey
through the birth canal?
a baby who is captivated
by lights and shadows?
a baby who can't speak
and is reliant on others
for everything?

why not just flit in and out of history
as a grown man,
staying only for his three years
of public ministry?

because that wouldn't be enough.
because our God isn't a God
just for the good times
or the powerful and persuasive times of life.
because our God wanted,
needed,
to join us fully in our humanity,
and to live an entire life of obedience to God.
because our God doesn't live off in a distant place,
but dwells amongst his people on earth.

there are many other reasons,
i am sure,
but i am not a theologian.
i'm just a person, marvelling,
at the ridiculous, lavish love of God,
shown in baby Jesus.

JT: Miriam

exodus 15:20-21 - Miriam the sister of Aaron was a prophet. So she took her tambourine and led the other women out to play their tambourines and to dance. Then she sang to them: "Sing praises to the LORD for his great victory! He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea."