“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to
Israel, your father.” - Genesis 49:2
Usually
God does not communicate with me in a “flash” of inspiration or a moment of
extreme clarity where the heavens open up and enlightenment ensues. I am
stubborn and slow to accept help, both from other people and from God.
Oftentimes, the realization that God has been working and present comes slowly
and gradually.
Today’s readings can be difficult to
approach in prayer. The genealogy can be confusing and uninspiring. For me, the
list of ancestors of Jesus (a family tree filled with imperfection) helps to
place the coming of Jesus in the context of a pattern of God’s grace. When I
read this list that documents several thousand years of preparation, I am awed
at the slow, gentle work of God. The Annunciation and the birth of Jesus are
not some “jolt” or “flash” that comes out of nowhere, but rather a radical
expression of God’s consistent love.
I
am also struck by a sense that as amazing and beyond comprehension as the
Incarnation is, how equally inconceivable it would be for the Incarnation to
NOT have happened. I imagine a God who sees His people and cannot help but
desires to be there with them in the midst of their daily realities. Today is a
reminder that God has always been present to us and is present to us now. We
are also reassured that God will be present to us tomorrow.
Can I imagine a God who
desires intimacy with me so much that He has prepared a way to my heart long
before I was even aware? I pray today, “Lord, help me to settle into your
gentle movement. Help me to rest in You.”
Reflected by Jen Coito
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