Grace In a Manger

Christmas is happy, Easter is hard.

At least, that's how I thought about it when I was younger.

Christmas, I thought, was the cheery holiday that evoked images of a sweet baby Jesus, a manger full of fresh-smelling hay, joyful shepherds, a glorious star and a partridge in a pear tree.

The real theological meat was diced at Easter, I believed.  Easter was about blood, death, and victory won only through the harshest pain.  Easter was about sanctification and propitiation and all those other "-ation" words that my pastor is supposed to explain to me.

And so, in my simple little head, Christmas was happy, Easter was hard.  At Christmas, we could just sit back and not think too hard, sip our egg nog, and gaze at our happy little nativity scene in which Mary looks all clean and regal, not like a scared young teenager who just went through labor next to a cow.

That was then.  I've been around the block a few times now.  I don't see Christmas in quite the same way.

I look around and see homeless people and sick children and crooked politicians and hungry nations and angry young people and bitter old people...and I wonder why on earth Someone would leave Perfection for such a dirty old planet as this?

I know we needed a Savior, and desperately, but to choose to come?  To enter humanity at its dirtiest--poor parents in a barn, of all places--to endure the hardest parts of being human with only the promise of the pain of ultimate sacrifice?

Maybe Christmas isn't easy after all.  Maybe it's as gritty and earthy as the darkest moment on the cross. 

But OH, is it ever beautiful.  It's as beautiful as any Easter sunrise, as victorious as a heavy stone pushed away from a tomb.

In one glorious, cosmic, explosive moment, the God of our Universe leapt into our messed-up world.  Victory wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

Hope nursing at His mother's breast. 

Grace in a manger.

Comments

[Wendy Clark]

That was beautiful.

[Queen Mother]

Well said.

[Rebecca]

You made me tear up! and I'm not even a Christian!

Merry Christmas to all you and yours, Shannon :)

[Amy]

So true! It is "easy" to get caught up in the "beauty" that we see at Christmas and put aside the human(ness)of the experience. Beautiful post.

[stacy]

Beautiful Shannon. My husband is our intrim youth pastor at our church, and last night he was stressing to the kids to think of the reason Jesus came and not just that he was born. Thank you for reminding people that Jesus didn't have a cake walk when he got here and that he knew it would be that way before he came.

[Antique Mommy]

Fabulously and beautifully written Shannon.

[Melissa]

What a beautiful thought!

[Genni]

True.

[Edi]

Your comment "Hope nursing at His Mother's Breast", reminded me of the Christmas song I heard sung for the first time last year..."Mary Did You Know" and the part...

"Mary, did you know That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?...Did you know That your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when you kiss your little boy, YOU'VE KISSED THE FACE OF GOD."

[Tara]

**tears** Amen!

[jennifer]

That is a great post.

[Susanne]

I think this is my favorite of your posts so far. Beautiful, Shannon. Thanks for such a great message today! Have a blessed Christmas!

[jenn]

"maybe it's gritty and earthy" - oh yes! Praise Him that it is!

[Julia]

Wonderful post!!!

[dcrmom]

AMEN. Great post, Shannon.

[Lisa B]

Well said Shannon! Merry CHRISTmas!

[Big Mama]

Beautiful post, my friend.

[Amy]

In tears. Beautifully said.

[Erica (A Yankee In Jawja)]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift of writing. You've formed words to what I can only feel.

God bless.

[Nicole]

That was perfect.

Beautiful reminder that the Incarnation was also the humiliation of Christ. I like those "tion" words. :). Thank you for this post!

[Ronda]

Awesomely said. Thanks!

[Cindy]

Goosebumps.

[Melanie]

Thanks.

[Girlymom]

Watching the news I have noticed alot more stories about break ins and robberies, does our greedy need to have "stuff" really drive people to do these criminal acts...for the sake of Xmas? Isn't this disturbing? I have been trying to encourage the true meaning of Xmas with my children, it's hard sometimes when Santa and sale adds are crammed in your face.