Isn’t That Ironic?
The eyewitnesses standing in their yards and those
looking from their windows stated that the car, once its right hand set of
wheels returned to the pavement, rolled four and a half times before coming to
rest, upside down, in the oncoming lane. Since I wasn’t standing with these
witnesses, I can only attest to the ‘and a half’ part. When the car stopped
moving, I was upside down, my back resting on the ceiling of the interior, and
my knees resting right beside my ears. The roof of the car was smashed down to
the level of the seat tops. I managed to get rolled to one side and crawl
through what was left of a broken window frame. Once outside I stumbled and
fell -- my equilibrium gone by the way of the best any roller coaster could have
offered. I turned on my hands and knees and started back towards the car to
look for my friend. He had been driving and was no doubt tossed about inside
just as I was. I hadn’t crawled far when I saw his head appear. A wreck of a
boy being birthed out of a wreck of an automobile. We both survived. The car
had to be hauled away. Charlie and I had left an end-of-school- year
party/barbeque to search for two friends that we had heard were in a car
accident. They had not been and were unhurt. We had been and were fairly banged
up. Isn’t that ironic?
I once heard a minister say, when questioned about the mysterious, nearly unbelievable events of Christ’s birth, “Come to Christmas by way of Easter. If you can believe that Jesus died and rose for us, then believing in Christmas is easy.” Begin with death to understand birth. That’s a little bit of an ironic twist.
Jesus taught and healed, and when He questioned the “religious” leaders, they killed him. I can just see them brushing their hands together as if dusting chalk from their finger tips, “Got rid of that trouble maker. Now we can get on with worshipping God.” The ones He had come to save took his life. In silencing Him they gave Him a voice to be heard through all eternity.
Oh look, a baby. Who doesn’t love a baby? Well, apparently Herod. His insecurity and anger at having his own position questioned forced him into an action that would strengthen Mary and Joseph’s faith and steadfastness to have their son stay safe. That child made safe would change the world.
The Christmas shopping season comes earlier and earlier each year. Carols playing before the turkey at Thanksgiving is carved. We complain about that, don’t we? The most wonderful time of the year (no play on the song here), and we don’t want it to be here before we are ready. We finally do go shop, with loving thoughts of a family member or friend in mind, and the battle begins. Someone parks in the spot we were going to take. Another customer cuts line at the checkout. The sweater – the last sweater – just got picked up by another shopper. All of these events add together and what should be a love filled time converts us into angry, sad, “I can’t wait till Christmas is over” people. You have to admit, that’s a wee bit ironic.
I pray this season that we see the blessing that is the birth of a baby and embrace it. That we feel the warmth of grace poured out and that we don’t find ourselves saying ironically, “I love Christmas.”
Steve MatthewsTo leave a comment for the author, go to www.JMAdvent.blogspot.com
I once heard a minister say, when questioned about the mysterious, nearly unbelievable events of Christ’s birth, “Come to Christmas by way of Easter. If you can believe that Jesus died and rose for us, then believing in Christmas is easy.” Begin with death to understand birth. That’s a little bit of an ironic twist.
Jesus taught and healed, and when He questioned the “religious” leaders, they killed him. I can just see them brushing their hands together as if dusting chalk from their finger tips, “Got rid of that trouble maker. Now we can get on with worshipping God.” The ones He had come to save took his life. In silencing Him they gave Him a voice to be heard through all eternity.
Oh look, a baby. Who doesn’t love a baby? Well, apparently Herod. His insecurity and anger at having his own position questioned forced him into an action that would strengthen Mary and Joseph’s faith and steadfastness to have their son stay safe. That child made safe would change the world.
The Christmas shopping season comes earlier and earlier each year. Carols playing before the turkey at Thanksgiving is carved. We complain about that, don’t we? The most wonderful time of the year (no play on the song here), and we don’t want it to be here before we are ready. We finally do go shop, with loving thoughts of a family member or friend in mind, and the battle begins. Someone parks in the spot we were going to take. Another customer cuts line at the checkout. The sweater – the last sweater – just got picked up by another shopper. All of these events add together and what should be a love filled time converts us into angry, sad, “I can’t wait till Christmas is over” people. You have to admit, that’s a wee bit ironic.
I pray this season that we see the blessing that is the birth of a baby and embrace it. That we feel the warmth of grace poured out and that we don’t find ourselves saying ironically, “I love Christmas.”
Steve MatthewsTo leave a comment for the author, go to www.JMAdvent.blogspot.com
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