Luke 2:7a
God shows up at the oddest and most unexpected times. Once, at the heart of a difficult time I was the accompanist for a worship service where there were intentional times of silence. All day, in very psalm like fashion, I had been asking God to show up in a powerful, awesome way and perform the spectacular miracle that would end my sea sickness. Now, silently sitting at the piano, I again prayed my week long big miracle prayer. In the stillness came a quiet voice, “But I came as a baby.”
God’s promised people had waited a long time for the Messiah. Their hopes rested on the big miracle, a Messiah that would rescue them from the tremendous weight of persecution and genocide. When the Messiah came they would be rescued and regain their rightful place as the people of God. I think they anticipated that, despite prophecy concerning a child, the Messiah would come charged and ready for battle.
But of course it wasn’t just the baby that was the issue. When Jesus comes into his ministry his intentions become clear. He will not be a life-rescuer. Instead he is a Messiah that calls people to a life-change. Those waiting for a Messiah rescuer never figured that they would have to change how they acted, how they lived, how they worshipped.
After my piano revelation my “difficult time” didn’t change. In fact, it got worse. But the words, “But I came as a baby” reminded me daily that life changing miracles often begin with little or no recognition. And so I open myself to be changed from the inside out, and I’ve found that instead of being sea sick, I can ride with the waves and eagerly anticipate the unexpected.
God, thank you for showing up with your
big miracle and changing me from the inside out.
Amen.
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