"Suppose there was a king who loved a humble maiden. This king was like no other king. People trembled before his power. No one dared breathe a word against him, for he had the strength to crush all opponents. And yet this mighty king was melted by love for a humble maiden.

How could he declare his love for her? In an odd sort of way, his very kingliness tied his hands. If he brought her to the palace and crowned her head with jewels and clothed her body in royal robes, she could surely not resist - no one dared resist him. But would she love him?

If he rode to her forest cottage in his royal carriage, with an armed escort waving bright banners, that too would overwhelm her. He did not want a cringing subject. He wanted a lover, an equal. He wanted her to forget that he was a king and she was a humble maiden and to let shared love cross over the gulf between them.

So the king, convinced he could not elevate the maiden without crushing her freedom, resolved to DESCEND. He clothed himself as a beggar and approached her cottage incognito, with a worn cloak fluttering loosely about him. It was not mere disguise, but a new identity he took on. He renounced the throne to win her hand."

(Philip Yancey: paraphrase of Soren Kierkegaard, Philisophical Fragments, 31-43)

Now, I don’t mean to stereotype girls or anything but I think most girls want to be loved by a someone who is so crazy for them that he’ll do anything. I once read that wives especially appreciate flowers when the husband has to drive across town to get them. Apparently the flowers don’t mean as much when picked up at a convenient location. So, the good news for girls is that the God of the universe, the King, is so filled with love that he would put aside heaven and become nothing just to be with them.

Now, I know guys aren’t as into this mushy kinda stuff. But guys are into bravery, courage, and general macho behaviour. So, if we haven’t been impressed with God yet, maybe we need to get a grip on how gutsy God is. The easy thing to do was stay in heaven. But unlike us, God didn’t go for the easy thing. No matter how you slice it, boys and girls, God rocks and in the baby Jesus, God came to rock our world. Don’t just buy presents and enjoy nice Christmas feelings ... Let the truth of Jesus become real to you...

LORD, be the center of my Christmas. Help me see past all the commercials and sentimental TV shows. Help me take in the massive dimension of what it meant for you to become a person. God in a body. The Creator in a cradle. The Author of Life in diapers. Help me get it and get into it. Rock my world and don’t let me get out of this Christmas without being changed by you. I pray for myself ... I pray for family ... I pray for friends. Fill each day of this Christmas season. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

(Lance Wright is from Hamilton, Ontario, where he lives with his wife Peg and their two sons, James and Nathan. Lance is Pastoral Associate at St. John United Church, and has inspired youth in and beyond church settings for many years. Lance coordinates the Youth Eventz Christmas and Easter services.)