An Invitation to Dance

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14

        Truth can get lost in traditions because traditions eventually lose their meaning. They become rituals done by rote, with only a hint of their original depth and purpose. There is always a place for them, and an element of importance to them. A central part of our calling is "to remember". Jesus himself gave us a remarkably simple, yet deeply profound ceremony to remember him, his sacrifice and his gift of life. But sometimes the traditions need to be set aside and truth aired-out and given space to breathe and shine in its own sacred light.
        "Glory to God in the highest." Our eternal God in the eternal place of his dwelling. Glory to God. This is where our purpose and the purpose of God merge in a beautiful dance that allows us to get a glimpse into eternity, experience a beautiful sliver of it in our time-bound world, and even participate in its arrival. We are God's dance partners accomplishing with him his eternal desire. Glory to God. It is the eternal purpose of God to display his glory and to receive all glory. His glory has come down; it has been revealed. Through the majesty and intricacy of creation, the submitted life of Christ - his humiliation and his resurrection, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and his active involvement in even the smallest corners of our lives. And no less, it is his eternal design that our purpose mirror his own. We behold his glory, we receive his gifts, we stand in awe of him and give back his glory in praise, in worship, in celebration, in obedience and surrender. Glory to God. Let's receive his glorious presence and glorify him and his name in grateful response.
        "And on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Finite man in his temporal dwelling.
"On earth"- a different realm, a broken place, and yes, in His grace, temporary. The Lord assured his disciples - and us, that in this world we would have trouble. Jesus entered into that trouble and at his arrival peace was declared. Peace was promised. What does that mean in our violence-rattled world where hostility grows and evil abounds? It means His Peace. Eternal peace. Our peace IS here. Our peace is the glory of God come down. It is The Eternal entering the temporal. It is Jesus. It is the display of His glory to those on whom his favor rests. It is His favor. It is our salvation. The declaration of peace is God's invitation for mankind to join him in the dance of his glory. We are his delight. For his name's sake we are the favored and chosen of God, along with all who take his outstretched, love-scarred hand and join the dance.
        Let's remember our purpose. Let's remember His promise. Let's let the light of peace shine brightly in our hearts as the favored of God. Let's dance with God this Christmas!