Monday, November 28, 2011

Advent Reflections

Sunday November 27th was the first day of Advent, a time of reflection and preparation to celebrate the coming of Christ.
The four Sundays in Advent we will look at different aspects of Incarnation.  I hope these meditations enrich your heart and draw you closer to the One.

Advent 1- Incarnation: God in the flesh
When God delivered the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, he entered into a covenant with them at Mount Sinai.  As a part of this covenant, he promised "I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not reject you, but will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."(Leviticus 26:11-12)
God did this with his pillar of fire and cloud that led his people through the wilderness.  He did this with the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle and later in the temple.  These things were representations of his unseen presence among them.  But God did not stop there.  


He fulfilled the second part of his promise to walk among his people by coming in the flesh.  John 1:14 says "The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us."


God coming in the flesh gives us confidence that he understands what it is like to stand in our place.  We all hunger for a diving perspective, but God Most High chose to humble himself to see from a human perspective.
The writer of Hebrews says it this way, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 14:15-16)


We can approach God with confidence, knowing that he understands what we go through: our weakness, pain, struggle, the betrayal of friends, the pressure of work, every emotion and loss.  We no longer have to despair that God is so high and holy that he could never understand.  He became flesh to walk in our shoes and open a way for us to be in complete fellowship with him.

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