November 30, 2011

Texts: Psalm 79, Micah 5:1-5a, Luke 21:34-38

(Micah 5) Now you are walled around with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel upon the cheek. 2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 5 and he shall be the one of peace.

What happens when we beat our swords into ploughshares and our spears into pruning hooks? Our Advocate fights on our behalf. God who was once against Israel fights for Israel. So often, we want a picture of victory that obliterates our opponents, a picture of victory whose power is obvious. It is not so in the life of faith. From Moses and the Hebrews in their flight from the Egyptians to our salvation, our God fights for us.

The smallest and least find themselves being invited to the feast,

The powerful are stopped in their tracks, only to look back

And see the end of their violence,

War ending not with war but with everlasting peace.

And still we wait, but we know the One for whom we wait: it is the Christ, the One who is for us, the One who cannot be conquered - not by sin, nor by evil, nor even by death. Immanuel - God is with us!