Posted by Terry on August 23, 2004 at 14:41:56:
In Reply to: Re: Jesus, the Wisdom and Power of God posted by cav on August 23, 2004 at 07:45:31:
: I've always been extremely moved by thoughts of the birth and the situation, especially the shepherds. I guess it's because I can identify with their lot in life and the fact that they aren't mentioned again. What happened to them? They had to be forever changed, but how, did they go back to their sheep? I'm sure. But they would have appeared insane to those who hadn't seen it. Maybe they even lost their jobs. Who knows, but the point is God used the most unlikely and unpowerful situations and people to herald his birth. He was already setting up the paradigm that the kingdom of God was not a radical revolution to remove the foreign powers, or a grand redesign of the world, or even a sudden end to life as it was known. Instead it was a quiet blowing into the hearts and minds of humanity that turned power structures upside down without displacing a single ruler. Suddenly, the hopeless had hope, the powers no longer had ultimate control. He truly revealed that he was going to be the God of Losers (to borrow from a brilliant lyricist). This gives me hope. This is the single most important factor in my being a Christian...in my faith. I could not serve another God, a God who was unjust and looked away at suffering, or benefited a few above others...no my God is the one who was born into the dung and pungent rotting hay, the one who was announced to the lowest level of society first, and says to the hurting and broken that the very armies of heaven are behind them. None will be lost, and the doors of hell are locked from the inside! My soul screams, "YES!"
I too think about this a lot. Of all the people in the world the king of kings could have been revealed to, He was revealed to those in the shadows of life. How amazing. How confusing. What a paradox that the omnipotent God chooses the weak of the world to show himself to. I agree with you that it is the one thing that gives me the most hope of being accepted by a holy God. He knows I am dust and he loves me anyway. Wow!