Born in a manger: a story of adoption
This time of year, we are so readily reminded of the birth of Jesus as a miraculous fulfillment of millennia of prophetic expectation and God's perfect plan invading earth in an unprecedented way. There is incredible value and richness as we pause to reflect and allow our minds to arrive at a place of wonder, excitement and gratitude. I walked into Walmart yesterday and the experience, however, was painfully void of any wonder, excitement or gratitude. I passed the outer gates of vitamin shops and chocobananos to encounter that as quickly as Christmas had not long ago invaded, overtaken and overwhelmed my senses, the flashy trees, lights and bows were utterly replaced with patio furniture, toys and school supplies. Walmart has definitely moved on, but there is so much more that God is speaking to us through this timeless story of good tidings of great joy. The bible speaks of God making plans that precede creation and I like to imagine Jesus and the Father sitting down at a tab...