I seem to do a lot of talking about
“God speaking to us”
I would say for example
“God is speaking to us
through the birth of Jesus”
What I find a little but more alarming
is that we seldom, if ever,
have the conversation
about what does it mean to say
“God is speaking to me”
We should know.
Some psychiatric books
would tell you for example
that “God speaking to you”
is a sign that I am not a well person.
If we move this story away from the specific
(and whether you or I are mad)
we could ask how this story in general
speaks to the human condition.
We can see for example
the idea that we know God
not by being rich or smart,
but by being vulnerable like a child.
Most of us find that idea fairly easy to grasp.
Archbishop Rowan Williams said as we think about this rather strange group of people ..shepherds, a young woman and her older fiancé, astrologers and heaven knows who else
that the most unlikely people will find they are looking for the same thing and recognise each other instead
That insight is quite worth having.
We can then say, now that we have got the idea
How then does this story about God’s life
speak to my life?
What’s happening to me now? And how does the birth of a baby speak to my situation?
This is not madness
this is paying attention
to how the Word is made flesh in my life.
We find that in our lives
the Baby of Bethlehem
as a child, as a man
speaks to us of forgiveness
vulnerability and forgiveness.
How is he speaking to you today?
And will you hear?
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