December 19 - Don't miss the message
Contributed by
Dean Johnson, assistant dean & director of Plowshares on Friday December 19
Scripture
"Rejoice! Sing for Joy! Victory is near. God the warrior is in our midst liberating the oppressed and proclaiming the good news of peace to all people."
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Devotion
I must admit that I do not find much comfort in the image of God as a warrior who is bringing us victory. At this time, when so much of the world's strife is wrapped in the language of war and victory, the idea of a warrior Messiah feels unnatural. That messiness is a part of the beauty of scripture and the mind of God. God is not always present in the ways we expect and I think most of us miss the message. How many times do we miss the presence of God in our everyday experiences?
Jesus came not as the triumphant king or militant revolutionary that the people expected, but instead as a child who could not even find shelter at an inn. He ministered to the weak, the sick and the outcasts of society providing a nonviolent witness as an alternative to the powers and principalities.
Where will you meet the Messiah today? Rejoice! Sing for Joy! The Messiah
is near. She may be the woman outside on a smoke break who opens the door
for you. He may be the hungry child crying for food who smiles at you
through his tears. She may be the one who 'blesses' you when you sneeze.
He may be the one who cuts you off in traffic. The Messiah is coming,
but will we recognize him or her?
May we feel the peace of God in our lives and may we seek the Messiah
in everyone we meet.
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