Manger | Presence
The manger is the incarnation—the God who takes on flesh, even to the point of being born in an animal feed box. The manger means that God is not distant, but near. It means that he comes to be with, so that you are not without him. It means that God dwells in the midst of messy human drama.
The gospel as the presence of God is thrilling news for those who are distant from God. This is gospel for those who feel lonely, alienated, and hurt. For those who feel inadequate. For those who feel that God could never love them, never come to them. For those who feel like the very lowest social caste. The manger: God’s presence with us.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Remember that you were at one time separated from Christ, alienated…having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
Word
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)
Meditation
“The Potter and the Clay” by Julianna Shults
I love watching pottery being made. While I will never have that artistic skill, it is fascinating to see each piece as it is thoughtfully designed, carefully formed, and glazed with colors exposed through time and heat. The creation of pottery is productive joy. Design and function combined to make art that is both a joy to see and useful to our lives.
Scripture repeatedly uses the imagery of God as a potter and His people as the clay. Our God made us with his loving hand and thoughtfully formed us for a purpose. Each piece is precious and valued by God, but that is not always how we see ourselves and others.
Instead, we focus on ourselves, ignoring the potter altogether, and listen to voices that diminish us. We compare ourselves to people on the internet. We internalize harsh words from our boss and coworkers. We fight with those we love most. Fear, pain, and our own sin hurt our relationships. We isolate ourselves from one another and doubt our value to anyone.
“Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.”
(Isaiah 64:9)
Making pottery has many steps, including times of waiting to cure and going through fire. For generations, God’s people in the Old Testament waited for the coming of Jesus, the one who would save them from their sin. They wandered to other idols and sought out value from other sources. Yet, God did not forget them. They cried out to God and our potter did not leave His creation in brokenness, loneliness, and despair.
God saved us by sending His only Son to earth, born in a manger. Jesus lived among the broken people He created, and died so that we can be restored and live out our purpose of loving each other in His name. The potter did not remember our iniquity forever. His loving sacrifice on our behalf and gift of faith means we can confidently be about the purpose for which He designed us.
In Advent we wait for the coming of Jesus who will return and restore us fully. As we do, we celebrate our God who makes us beautiful and uses us for His good.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, you are the Word made flesh. Work your word deep into our hearts and minds. Transform us by your speech. Show us the depths of “loved” and “sent.” To a world of separation and division, bring your presence, O Lord.