"Unto Us..." Tuned Out Yet?

I freely admit that as a Christian when I hear these oft-repeated words I frequently stop listening. What?  Yes, it's true.  We all know what follows:

...unto us a Son is given;  etc. etc. 

It's a case of familiarity breeding contempt I guess.  The message is not revolutionary here where we have been inundated with the Christian tradition for generations and a personal lifetime of Christmases. I mean it IS revolutionary, but somehow Christian and non-Christian alike, we have heard it so many times that it's hard to grab hold of.  It's not real, or life changing.  We are not "sore afraid" (as those shepherds in the King James version of the bible), we are... probably bored. 

Not the Motilone indians from South America though! (I'm currently reading "Bruchko", an almost unbelievable story) THEY thought the news was revolutionary, they wept with joy!  They already knew they were far from God and they were trying everything to get back to Him. When the news came that He had come to *us* their relief and joy was immeasurable!  They found their enemies and shared the good news with *them*!  Maybe a few generations later the news is now old-news and no one really cares there either.  But this is what we are missing: the knowledge that we are far from God but that He as made a "trail" back to Himself.

Due to circumstances this year of facing my mortality in a fresh way, I'm not quite so blithe about the message. I've been spending a lot of time on cell biology lately trying to understand my best options for treatment.  It's a lot more complicated than I learned in school 30 years ago! Since (if you've read my blog) you know I can't see this as an accident, it occurred to me that the Creator of this cell with its universe of working parts can require whatever He wants from me.  Standing before this Power (can you imagine the power of creating a cell?) what recourse would I have?  Who am I? It would be like standing before, um, well, think of someone you might find yourself speechless in front of and athlete, a movie star, an inventor, a saint, royalty.  Many of us might find ourselves speechless in the presence of certain people, many of us would thrilled to take out the trash of some certain people.

I can't explain adequately the picture that came to my mind of me standing before ultimate power (picture scenes from any movie depicting "ultimate power").  Small, insignificant, powerless, naked in every sense of the word.  I feel so powerful in my own life (First World Disease) that powerlessness is hard to grasp. It's a good topic for meditation.  Only then can I appreciate someone giving me *their* power.

Then I saw myself wrapped in a Super Suit (Incredibles anyone?).  But my Super Suit was a white robe of Righteousness, sealed (like with a royal seal) of blood. And who can open a royal seal? No one but the One who has the power to do so.  The contents are secure. The Robe of Righteousness, allowing me to stand in the presence of Power instead of falling prostrate, covers my humanness allowing me to be counted as a daughter of the Most High Power.

But how did I get the robe?  The only explanation is that it is a gift. I can't buy it or make it.  I can't earn it - not the true value of it.  Maybe with my inflated ego I think I could earn part of it, but part is not all. It is a gift to me.

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, 

My soul will exult in my God; 

For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, 

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, 

Isaiah 61:10

Of course I can refuse the robe, but that would dumb.  So I don't.  Now, more than ever, I want that robe!  And now more than ever I am thankful.  I'm not as thankful as the Motilones, I don't have the profound appreciation that I hope I will have one day, but this tiniest inkling of awe and wonder over those old words "Unto us.." has been so exciting!  What gift!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,

 The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6