Listen to this article
Sharper Focus
by Erin Wikle, Soldier –
A funny thing happened a few weeks ago. I was driving through downtown Seattle towards a park where were we going to serve a meal to the homeless. In my car were two friends, one who brought along her five-year-old son Austin.
As we drove, we chatted about this and that, when suddenly Austin burst into song. I might add that for a five-year-old, Austin has an incredible voice. To the tune of “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” the mischievous little red headed boy sang:
Go tell it in Seattle
To your friends and to your neighbors,
Go tell it in Seattle
That Jesus Christ is bored!
To your friends and to your neighbors,
Go tell it in Seattle
That Jesus Christ is bored!
Despite Austin’s enthusiasm (and perfect pitch) I said, “Jesus isn’t bored!”
“Yes, he is.” He replied, simply.
“Why is Jesus bored?” I asked.
After a moment’s pause Austin replied, “I don’t know.”
And that was that—the musings of a five-year-old. Alert the media: Jesus Christ is bored.
It almost sounds blasphemous, doesn’t it? Perhaps we’ll grant clemency to this young believer on the grounds of having child-like faith.
You might think that Jesus could be bored with us though. After all, day after day our quiet times with the Lord wind up meager moments in a noisy coffee shop. Our complaints about what we do or do not have tend to muffle the persistent calling of Christ. Even the draw of Grey’s Anatomy is much greater than the all-consuming power of Jesus’ autonomy. What in the world is going on?
Maybe we’re the ones who are bored.
And then there’s grace—born on Christmas day.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT).
An Everlasting Father to the fatherless? Unending peace in a world waging wars? A Mighty God who is mighty to save? A King who rules fairly and justly for all eternity?
Nothing boring about that!
Something could have gone terribly wrong with Mary as she and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem. Joseph may not have been able to endure the pressure of being a father to a son who was not really his. Herod and his men could have found the Messiah that, cold, dark night…and that would have been the end of the story.
But we all know that wasn’t the end of the story. In light of God’s saving grace, born as a baby some 2,000 years ago, how are you living? Are you bored? Is God’s manifest presence in your life less than intriguing?
What’s your story?
This Christmas, try something new: Go tell it! Jesus Christ is born!
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