Micah 4:6-8 (NRSV)

In that day, says the Lord,
    I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away,
    and those whom I have afflicted.
The lame I will make the remnant,
    and those who were cast off, a strong nation;
and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
    now and forevermore.

And you, O tower of the flock,
    hill of daughter Zion,
to you it shall come,
    the former dominion shall come,
    the sovereignty of daughter Jerusalem.

By Chuck Griffin

As the season of Advent ends and Christmas is upon us, let’s take one last look at where the story of the infant Christ is headed.

It moves from childhood to adulthood to his death—and astonishingly, beyond death, to his resurrection and promises that all of creation will be renewed.

We sometimes forget that we are not beyond the story, but in the middle of it. It’s important we cling tightly to the promise there is more to come, that all will be set right.

Why does God not rescue those who suffer, or the outcasts, or the ones who bear the scars brought on by their own sins or the sins of others? It’s a question often heard, and the answer is straightforward: He’s doing so right now. The process is ongoing. The world is turning upside down as people continually are offered escape from sin through belief in Jesus Christ.

We don’t ask firefighters why they aren’t rescuing the trapped when they’re breaking down the door of a burning house. We don’t ask the doctor why he isn’t healing a patient when he’s in the middle of setting a broken leg. Even if the situation appears frightening or painful, we are grateful someone is moving events in the right direction.

This Christmas season, remember to give thanks not only for what happened in Bethlehem, but what was made possible. The hope seen in the manger is our hope for the future.

Lord, the details of how your promise will be fulfilled can seem mysterious, but we know that great day to come will bring eternal life in your presence. Hallelujah! Amen.