Advent... Close

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. – John 1:14 (Amplified Bible)

I mentioned before that I don’t see Jesus “popping in” on our world. Jesus arrives, and he arrives in the context of hope and fear and joy and pain. Generally speaking, I can accept this. But I wonder if this concept gets more difficult to embrace when I recognize that Jesus’ coming is more than to a generic context… but to a very specific world- yours and mine.

Jesus comes close.
Jesus tabernacles among us.
Jesus moves into the neighborhood.
Jesus enters my personal space…

…And I wonder I can bear it.

It's easy for me to keep God at a distance. I pretend to be comfortably close by critiquing God’s plan, questioning God’s motives, or protesting God’s fairness. I fear closeness through my preference to activity over stillness and my addiction to noise over silence.

God is near. I wonder if I can bear it.

Spirit, come near. Gently enter my personal space.
Reveal your presence and challenge mine.

Help me learn to be present, to be attentive, to be expectant.

Come close.

This is my prayer, my cry, my declaration.