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Love Became Flesh
<<First Name>>,
I'm. Dreaming. Of a white. Christmas.
I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love...
Later on we'll conspire, as we dream by the fire...
Make my wish come true. Baby, all I want for Christmas...is you.
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
We wish you a merry Christmas...
Many Christmas songs express dreams, wishes, and hopes, revealing our desires for some kind of future for ourselves and/or others.
For the serenity of snow (serene at least for those who don't have to drive far or who have a warm place to sleep!). For "home," whether a structure, a location, or a group of people. For future plans that we hope to "face unafraid." For closeness with someone we love. For the "everlasting light," coming into the world and shining in the darkness. For others to experience a Christmas more "merry" than somber.
Jesus spoke frequently of the Kingdom of God and its impending arrival. Our religious language can often be a bit peculiar to others not "in the community." There is both upside and downside to this. I often use "Kingdom language," because I think it's important to understand why Jesus said what he said in the way he said it. But I think finding other language that captures the spirit of Jesus's vision in a way that might more fittingly speak to our experience is important, too.
For example, at some point along the way I heard someone suggest alternative language for God's Kingdom: "God's dream." That is, God's dream for creation. The coming to be of God's deepest hopes for what God loves. I kind of like that. Jesus, then, in what he taught, did, and embodied, is something like God's dream coming true. The Word become flesh. Imagine God saying to God's heavenly buddies (angels?), "ok, check it out, I have this idea, this is my dream..."
And then, a Savior is born, in the city of David, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
-Matt
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