Unwrapped II

.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…and darkness was on the face of the deep…



God created man in His own image…Then God blessed them “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion …over every living thing.”


 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb… and every tree … Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

This reminds me of…The afterglow of Christmas. We tell kids (in our image) “See what I’ve given you.” And they take dominion of the living room and subdue it. Wrappings and boxes and bows the décor of gifts given. The laughter of children fruitfully multiplies and fills the room. And you see everything and indeed it is very good. We get that from our Father – God.

The one who receives the greatest delight is the one who wrapped, the one who gave; the one who watches the receiving.

I can picture God saying: “Look Adam, look Eve I’ve given you all this, the whole world, all the trees all the plants all yours – what do think? Do you like the colors? Smell the flowers and feel the soft grass, taste the cool spring water. And check out the animals – your pets. Some are big and some are small, some are beautiful and some are…well, they look kind-of funny. I hope you like them. Go ahead and give them names – they’re yours. And one more thing; in the midst stands a tree adorned with beauty – leave that alone. Other than that it’s all yours. I hope you like it.”

But, how does the saying go? All good things must…

The cute cuddly puppy doesn’t stay that way long …soon the pup poops on the carpet, cries all night and chews a hole in the furniture… and your favorite shoes. The toys break and the kids get bored…

And it doesn’t take long for God’s garden of bliss to turn into a tempting ground from the abyss. Only three chapters in to the book of beginnings and we read: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God… (Genesis 3:8). Their eyes open and their hearts close. Sin and death enter the heart of man.

All goes black.

How could this happen? They hung out with God. They knew His voice, His footsteps, His walk. They would have had Him on speed dial with His own ring tone. They heard Him walking in the garden… Maybe God would hum a song yet to be written. “I come to the garden alone, while the due is still…or …Just a closer walk with thee…” They were close.

But now… they hid. Separation took place. That day they died. Just as He said they would. Separation from Life is death.

Re-enter darkness.

But God’s heart never changed and He would walk with His family again. It would take thousands of years of preparation but He returned - in person.

Enter Jesus – The Light of The World.

All goes white.

Glory in the Highest


 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-14

And The One who receives the greatest delight is The One wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger; The One who gave His only begotten Son; The One lifted up on that lonely tree for the joy that was set before Him; The One who watches and rejoices when one of His children comes home.

Someday it will once again be said: “And God saw everything and indeed it was very good.”

Amen.

Hebrews 12:2


“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”


John 3:14-17


“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”