Thursday, December 18, 2008

Today’s text

Luke 1:26-33

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you.' She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.'

Reflection

Come, Lord Jesus. Have no end among us.

Everything we see and we touch has an end—as do we. We know it from our earliest days: All that rises falls. All that is fair fails. All that glimmers with today’s beauty by tomorrow may be gone.

The clock constantly ticks, and we cannot stop it. When we are young it never moves fast enough. Time drags on, never bearing us soon enough to our hope-filled tomorrows when, finally, we will get, have, be, arrive at what we want.

Too soon the clock speeds ahead, telling us we haven’t enough time to do, be, see, get, arrive at what we desire.

The idea of eternity is strange to us, for all we touch is temporary, like our own bodies and minds—and those most beloved to us. But eternity dwells in our heads, and we can’t get it out even if we wanted to.

We long for it. We want to hold it to our chest, hugging it near along with all we have and fear losing. For we want the grace and life that knows no end, that endures, that embraces and holds us and all we love, for we know the pain of losing.

Little wonder, then, that the angel’s promise ignites longing and tears. You, my Lord Christ, will rule ... without end.

Eternity is so unlike time when our anxieties and to-do lists rule our lives. Eternity is the time of your rule: forever is bathed in grace, my forever.

But forever is now, wherever you are, dearest Friend, wherever your loving nearness is known.

So come, Lord Jesus. Let us taste forever now. Have no end among us.

Pr. David L. Miller