At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great
plain before God’s throne.
Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some
groups near the front talked heatedly – not with cringing shame, but with
belligerence.
‘Can God judge us? How can he know about suffering?’ snapped a
young Albanian. He removes his shirt to reveal a bullet scarred back. ‘ In
Kosovo we endured terror… shootings… torture!’
In another group an aged aboriginal woman pulls a crumpled, tear
stained photograph from her pocket. ‘What about this?’ she demanded, ‘This is
my precious child. I have not seen her since the day she was stolen away for no
crime but being black!’
In another crowd, a pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes. ‘Why
should I suffer’ she murmured, ‘It wasn’t my fault.’
Far out across the plain there were hundreds of such groups.
Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering he permitted in
this world. How lucky God was to live in heaven where all was sweetness and
light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God
know of all that people had been forced to endure in this world? For God leads
a pretty sheltered life, they said.
So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because
he had suffered the most. A Jew, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed
arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the center of the plain they consulted with
each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather
clever.
Before God could be qualified to be their judge, he must endure
what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live
on earth – as a man!
‘Let him be born into a hated race. Let the legitimacy of his
birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even his family will think
him out of his mind when he tries to do it. Let him be betrayed by his closest
friends. Let him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted
by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured.
‘At the last, let him see what it means to be terribly alone.
Then let him die. Let him die so that there can be no doubt that he died. Let
there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.’
As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud
murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled.
And when the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a
long silence. No-one uttered another word. No-one moved. For suddenly all knew
that God had already served.
And how did it all begin? Like
this:
Luke 2:1-20
And it came to pass in those
days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world
should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every
one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his
espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they
were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were
sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people.
For unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto
you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the
angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another,
Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and
found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they
made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it
wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as
it was told unto them.
No comments:
Post a Comment