Incarnation

The Creator walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Incarnation is very much part of the Christian way.

It is how I understand what mission should look like. We need to be with people, in the midst of their lives, with all the mess that entails. It is then that we may be bringers of truth, hope, joy and grace. We are to live as bearers of Christ. This is as true for life in the PNG swamp as it is for a stay-at-home parent, a business executive or a blue collar worker.

This theme of incarnation is one that I keep returning to and hope to keep growing in the practice of.

Christmas is often when we focus on the incarnation of Jesus, and I am reminded that he started as a baby, reliant on others. He grew up in a culture, a network of relationships, and learnt how to be a man in that time and place. After about thirty years, he spent a short time in public ministry. Being incarnational about mission requires humility and patience. We cannot come in with all the answers from the beginning, but need to learn how to be in that time and place. We need to belong so that we can be heard. We need to accept the help of others. These things are a challenge to me. Stepping back to being reliant and being the learner is hard. I like to be competent and independent, but that is not how incarnation starts.

Incarnation is sacrificial. Jesus left heaven and came to earth. He humbled himself. He was hurt, betrayed, misunderstood and killed. I hope not to be killed for my beliefs and the message I share, but I should not expect to be spared the painful realities of life. Jesus invites us to take up our cross and follow, so he is not trying to fool us that it will be easy, but he promises that the Helper will be with us. We are not alone in the suffering, we are understood and we are in good company, in God’s company.

Following in the crucified Christ’s footsteps also means resurrection. The sacrifices we make are not for their own sake, but for a greater and most worthwhile goal. We can be confident in this life, both now and ever after, meaning that the incarnational life is also one of joy. We have the privilege of being light in the darkness, now. We have the opportunity to be the representative of peace that passes all understanding in the midst of what is troubling people today. Among what is going on, we bring grace.

Incarnation: there is one white hand waving amidst the crowd, mine. (Ella B)

Incarnation is a slow process. Jesus spoke of the kingdom being like a small amount of yeast mixed into a large amount of dough. It took time, but the whole thing was leavened eventually, and could not be separated out. We are the leaven, and living incarnationally means mixing ourselves into the world so that resurrection can happen.

One thing that empowers me to live incarnationally is gathering for communion. Here, at the eternal family table, we are fed and told ‘Take and eat, this is my body.’ In that moment we are invited to really take Christ into us. We are then sent out to be the body of Christ, so that, that which has come to us, now goes to the world.

Immanuel, God is with us. This name for God is both a promise and a challenge, one that I expect I’ll spend my whole life pondering, and still find things to learn.