Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Paul Sponheim.
“ …you are to name him Jesus . . .’ v.20 .
“… they shall name him Emmanuel’ which means God is with us;” v.,23e
“…and he named him Jesus.” . . v.24 “
God does take Joseph along in the making of the future. One thing is clear biblically: God wills deep good for all creation. We are singing “Joy to the world” again this year because we believe that; God so loved the WORLD. “Given the two approaches to the naming of the babe in Bethlehem, doesn’t it make sense to say that it is by being EMMANUEL that God saves from sin?” (I am grateful that the presiding bishop of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton, devotes her monthly column in LIVING LUTHERAN December, 50 to the topic GOD IS WITH US.
We are trading in paradox here for we will be speaking of how God is present WITH ALL and FOR EACH. Can we stress both themes since the difficulty lies in emphasis or focus, not in logical opposition? The strange talk continues. Again this year we are singing “Joy to the WORLD because WE believe that God so loved the WORLD. Both elements need to be present in our God-talk, and they need to be present together. Thus the warmth of personal closeness will hold us back from collapsing the God relationship into a dreamy mysticism. And unparalleled closeness will not be tempted by an impersonal voice in heaven or on earth. In trying to relate in thought and action to the God we have come to know. An exclusive attachment to “Jesus only” will hear in the “with all” a winsome envy sensed toward the faith and life of people of other faiths or no faith. We will speak of God’s omnipresence but we will not feel compelled to carry the baggage of every other God ’’omni”. In our God talk we will try to express the twin truths that we are in God and that God is in us. It is perfect LOVE we seek to describe. There is ground for hope There is no agnostic or atheist in the entire universe who does not have God present, acknowledged or not.
This divine love for the other surely precedes Bethlehem. But in Jesus Christians see the decisive, newness of the Word made flesh for the creation. Yes, God takes us along into the future God seeks. Yes, our doubting–helpful and harmful–is included. Let us celebrate Christmas with great joy. We might even manage some of the audacity Barack Obama wrote about well after his “Yes, We Can” campaign vaulted him into the presidency. This resolute love surely takes us along in looking to the future.
The Creative God who is at all times present with the creation actually becomes flesh in a particular person. That is truly decisive. Joseph at least looks pretty good in Matthew chapter one. But Luke reminds us that we need even more to follow Mary. She surely had her doubts. It is she who questions the angel Gabriel’s announcement of GOD’S plans for Mary. What seed may God have planted? She asks: “‘I am a virgin. How can this be? ’I’m thinking of us in this confusing time. May our lives say with Mary ”Let it be with me according to your word.”