Avent Day 10: Christ's Humility

Any trace of decay is unsettling to the human heart -- the withering of the grass, the wilting of flowers, the drying out of the soil, the lessening of intimacy between friends . . . It all mirrors the rampant dwindling of human interest in the concerns of God. And said dwindling is akin to a death sentence or a diagnosis of a terminal disease:

Enmity.
Unease.
Restlessness.
Lovelessness.
Spiritual havoc.
No peace with God.

There can be no peace with God or humanity or the universe when the grass of our hearts -- our fruitfulness -- continues to wither by blatant apathy or neglect. There can be no intimacy when the flowers of our souls wilt daily for lack of living water. There can be no true friendship with the Lover of our souls when the soil of our Christian walk is baked by the sun-scorching heat of earthly enticements.

In other words, the world merely mirrors that which is happening in the heart of mankind.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) penned the following words concerning this mirroring: 

"His (Christ's) appearance in our midst has made it undeniably clear that changing the human heart and changing human society are not separate tasks, but are as interconnected as the two beams of the cross."

Indeed, a picture of true peace is found in the humility God displayed in becoming a human baby presented to us wrapped in rags and cradled by a feeding trough. It is the presence of Christ which ignites a world of darkness in utmost meekness and gentleness. Advent peace is the gratitude of our hearts in knowing that God took on flesh and paid the price for our ransom so that we who were once His enemies can become joint heirs with Christ and sit at the Father's banqueting table. 

Advent, thus, reminds us to thank God for His grace. Without His intervention, humanity would keep rolling in the dirt of enmity, unease, restlessness, lovelessness, spiritual havoc, and the like. Christ came to give us peace, not ephemeral tranquility; He came and comes and is coming to grant us a peace that lasts, one that passes all understanding forever and ever. 

Thanks be to God!