Christ in the Rubble
I know it’s a bit strange, but my scripture meditation the last two weeks has been a deep dive into the passages we typically read during Advent. My mind has been filled with Mary and Joseph, shepherds, and wisemen. I’ve been captivated by how messy the world was that Jesus entered. It goes really quickly from “Glory to God in the highest” to run for your life as a refugee to Egypt. Talk about some capital T trauma! I’ve been struck by the scary, messy, and chaotic time and place that God chose to rescue us.
If it were me planning the salvation of the world, I would have done it differently. I don’t like messy! When you drive into my neighborhood, I am the house that looks like it’s straight out of The Truman Show. Inside and out, just about everything is in its place. I like it that way… neat and tidy, clean and quiet. I gravitate toward comfort and ease believing that is the way life is supposed to be.
The older I get the more I realize that God often moves in chaos, struggle, and ache. His best work seems to be in the places that are falling apart. He doesn’t shy away when our lives get out of control…He moves toward the mess.
Perhaps Jesus’ chaotic birth made him especially gifted in understanding people with messy lives. He was constantly found among the sick, the demon-oppressed, and those society had cast aside. Jesus helped people see that God doesn’t demand perfection before we draw near. Our God touches lepers, weeps at gravesides, and calms the storm when we are ready to jump overboard.
I am currently studying the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola who founded the Society of Jesus. I love this modern paraphrase of his Principle and Foundation:
The deepest freedom is not having everything go our way, but being so grounded in God’s love that we can find Him in everything.
Ignatius wasn’t naïve. He had seen war, illness, disappointment, and internal turmoil. But he had also come to trust a God who shows up not just in silence and beauty, but in confusion and conflict. That’s the kind of faith I want to foster in my own life and in others.
So here is the good news: God is not waiting for you to clean up before you draw near. He is not embarrassed by your unraveling. He’s not trying to avoid the noise and chaos. God moves toward the mess and reminds us He is with us and for us.
Ask Yourself:
In what ways does your life feels especially “messy” right now?
What could it look like to be more open with God, instead of trying to fix it or hide it?
Image is by Kelly Latimore - https://kellylatimoreicons.com/
