Advent Day 9
Monday, December 9th
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” —Philippians 2:5-8 (NRSV)
Jesus is the picture of God’s love. In becoming human, He “became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, MSG). Jesus is God with us, so He could be God’s compassion for us in word and deed. When He saw someone suffering, He wept with them (John 11:33) and came to their aid (Mark 10:51). He talked with the excluded and marginalized
(John 4:7) and ate with the outcasts (Matthew 9:10). There was no one whose illness or status rendered them unapproachable or untouchable (Matthew 8:3). This is the kind of radical compassion that says, I am not just helping you. I am with you.
The American writer Annie Dillard writes, “So once in Israel, love came to us incarnate and stood in the doorway between two worlds, and we were all afraid.”3
Maybe we were afraid because we had never been properly introduced to this perfect love. We don’t feel ready to be fully seen and fully known. But what if, deep down, this is what we want? To be loved in this deep, enduring, and compassionate way, and to love that way in return.
It is often said that to understand someone, you must walk a mile in their shoes. Jesus came to walk in our shoes, learning to walk just like we do, feeling the same feelings, and living with the same beauty, suffering, and loss. How does thinking about Jesus as person-with-us resonate with you today?
O God, You came down to earth, humbling Yourself to think of me. Stepping out of the safe space of heaven to be present to me. To understand how I feel. God, You have been there. You have felt these same feelings. At this moment, I want to hand my fears and doubts over to you.
And while what I’m going through can make me feel lonely, I know I am not alone. For You are with me. Others have walked this path before, too. Help me find others who might support me or who I may support as we walk this together. Thank You for always being on my team. For the compassion You show me in the midst of my struggle. Amen.
