Calvin Miller - The Christ of Christmas: Readings for Advent

To Barbara

INTRODUCTION

Much of Christmas' beauty is in its sameness. The same traditions. The same meals. The same songs. The same story.

Yet each Christmas is a little different. Sometimes the change is noticeable and unexpected, at other times a mere matter of flexibility. But each year's celebration somehow speaks its familiar message with a freshness that can only be heard by ears a year older.

So you're invited to bring your this-Christmas life within reach of God's Christmas story, to look at these same, familiar pictures of love and grace from a new vantage point, to spend a few moments each day letting God's comforting sameness reveal His new-every-morning side.

You can use these devotional readings by yourself or with your whole family. If you have a little more time and want to make the experience even more significant, an additional Scripture passage has been included for you to look up each day, along with some related thoughts and questions to consider.

You'll also notice that the readings continue through the end of December. The days following Christmas are important ones, where the lessons of Jesus' birth can find a natural link with the new year.

May this gentle journey through the Advent season draw you ever closer to the Christ of Christmas.

by Calvin Miller

AN INTRODUCTORY STORY

CHRISTMAS EVE had come at last. Gabriel and Michael sat talking,

What time is it, Gabriel? asked Michael.

Gabriel looked down at a rather immense calendar watch, studied it a moment, and looked back up.

It's exactly the fourteenth year of Augustusyou know, annus quattuordecimus, as these Romans say.

No, no, no! I want it in the new time. I can't remember! Is it B.C. or A.D.?

Gabriel looked again at the big watch.

It's about time for the changeover! Tonight at midnight, the Lord God puts the new star on that elliptical orbit that passes over Bethlehemthen all the angels have to set their watches ahead to A.D.

Michael scratched his head.

A.D.? What's that mean?

How do I know what it means? The Lord God's the only one who knows everything. I think it stands for some more of those Roman words, anno Domini or something like that. Anyway, it just means Jesus Time. The whole world is going to use it; it all becomes official as soon as the Lord God takes the brakes off that new star.

Michael cautiously ventured one final question:

Look, Gabriel, how are they coming on that new star?

Gabriel looked excited.

I just flew by the Star Foundry yesterday. Mike, this is going to be a big one. Bright too. You remember how all the angels were wearing sunglasses when the Lord God started dumping the hydrogen in Andromeda? Well, I swear! This one's bigger and brighter. It makes Halley's comet look like a sulfur match.

Sulfur match?

Never mind, Michael. They're pumping the helium in now. This is going to be some star. It's gonna slam smack into the middle of the constellation Pisces. There's some astrologers out in the desert at a big stargazers convention. Those guys are really in for a surprise. Remember how mixed up they were during the last meteorite shower? Think what it'll do to their charts when Redeemer I comes a-slicin' through the sky.

Michael beamed. Redeemer II like that. Is that what they're calling it: Redeemer I?

That's what it is, Michael.

What a name for the Jesus star! Say, speaking of Jesus, where is he, Gabe?

Still tucked up under the heart of Mary, but not for long Mike, I'm so excited!

Me too, I've been practicing the Christmas music all day long. I hate scaring those shepherds like we're going to have to do. Still, I know I can't hold my song past midnight.

Me either, Gabe. I understand the whole anthem is going to be in Aramaic. Of course, I really sing it best in Latinyou know, Gloria in excelsis Deo. But you know the Lord God. Those shepherds don't know a word of Latin, so we're going to do the whole thing in Aramaic.

Man, this is some anthem. I can't remember. Is it double p or double f on the refrain? he asked, studying the sheet music.

Triple f. We start out loud; and we just keep the whole piece a-swelling. I have the tenor obbligato. Crashing crescendo, it is going to be quite a night. Still, why is time draggin' so? Will A.D. never get here?

Michael paused and walked a few steps and looked over the crystal balustrades.

Look, Gabriel. See the little couple down there? They've been traveling for three days.

Gabriel leaned out and looked over. He struggled to fight back tears before he spoke. He's been to all six inns in the city. She's in so much pain she can hardly stand it. She's only eighteen and this is her first baby. How time flies! I was just down in Nazareth nine months ago talking to her. She's a beautiful girl. You wanna hear the song she wrote, Michael? It was pretty good for an earthling.

My soul doth magnify the Lord
And my spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior
For he hath regarded the low estate of his
handmaiden,
For behold from henceforth all generations
will call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me
great things,
And holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that
Fear him from generation to generation.

Gabriel stopped. Michael went on, Wow, that's some poetry, Gabe. When did she write that?

Right after she found out that she was going to be the mother of the Messiah.

Look! Gabriel, they're going toward the stable. It must be getting time.

It's time all right! Say, what's the name of that unfriendly place?

It's Bethlehem. Why?

Why in the world Bethlehem? I mean, why not Athens or Rome or Alexandria? Where's this Bethlehem, anyway?

It's about six miles from Jerusalem; that's where King David was from.

Couldn't it be somewhere more cosmopolitan than Bethlehem?

I suppose the Lord God could have picked a bigger place, but after all, this isn't a world's fair, you know. Besides, half a millennium or so back, Micah said it would have to be Bethlehem. You know Micah, don't you?

Well, of course, I know Micah, doesn't everyone? I just saw him and Jeremiah and a couple of the minor prophets the other day. But I didn't know he said it would have to be Bethlehem.

I even heard him telling a couple of the younger cherubim the way.

The way where?

The way to Bethlehem. He was real insistent to them. Told them to watch their altitude and steer clear of Mount Hermon. Set your glide pattern at thirty thousand feet, he said, and fly left at Damascus.