It’s 9:00 am Christmas morning and my across the street neighbor is detailing one of his pickup trucks in his driveway. Portuguese music fills the air. I stepped out front to let Shazam listen to it, and found out it is Oh Minha Mae (Oh My Mother) by the Brazilian group Mundo Novo.
I find it interesting that on a day when much of the nation has set everything else aside to observe Christmas, for some it’s just another day. There is no mail delivery or trash collection. Banks, schools and most stores are closed. Highways and airports are packed with travelers. Church attendance spikes for an evening.
But hospitals are open and staffed, along with firehouses and police precincts. Cooks and servers work their shifts at busy restaurants. Winston (the Westie) and I saw most of the usual dog walkers this morning. I’ve received all the usual spam email.
I guess the latter is more biblically Christmas-y. Shepherds do shift work. Contractions come closer together, moms give birth, and newborns cry. Governments govern, stars dot the night sky, and people gossip. Life as usual.
When God arrives in the world, he falls right in step. When you think about it, most of Jesus’ life was ordinary. Do the math. He lived on earth for thirty-three years, but his public ministry which included amazing teaching and miraculous works lasted only three. That’s less then ten percent of his life. A lot of that time was spent walking, sleeping, eating, and spending time with friends.
But in the ordinary rhythms of life, Jesus did the extraordinary. He was obedient. He died and came back to life. That not only gives us a future, but redeems our ordinary todays, too. His life and love gives our usual moments meaning and value, too.
It was as different as night and day. I preached to the big Christmas Eve crowd last night and to a much smaller gathering this morning, Christmas Day. I grew up always going to both, but most worshippers choose one or the other.
Waite for it... 