Immanuel!

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

I can still recall a moment when I grieved with my friend, Joe, over the death of his dad, Joe Sr. After our phone call, I went outside and looked up at the same moon Jesus had looked at and was reminded that the cycle of life and death continues. The words of Solomon came to mind, “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:1).

The cycle of life does continue, only to be stopped in its tracks by Genesis 3:19. We grow, we learn, we work, we serve, we die.  To what purpose?  At first glance it does all seem meaningless.

I struggled with these thoughts as I grieved.  Christians who say “You shouldn’t doubt,” are really out of touch with the true human experience.  Come on, let’s be transparent.  If we are honest, all have doubted at one time or another, even to wonder Is God true? Is Jesus real? Is any of it real? 

But when Philip said to Christ, “Show us the Father,” the Lord replied, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:8-9). How can we deny He spoke of His being 100% Human, and also 100% fully God?  We can only agree with CS Lewis’s statement that with what Jesus said in regard to Himself we’re left with three choices:  He was either a Liar, a Lunatic, or He is Lord. 

Joe’s last words to me were, “I’ll see my Dad again.  When I do, I know he will be smiling the BIGGEST smile I’ve ever seen and it will be just for me.  It will be alright.” The greatest meaning of life is ever-present in the witness of Joe’s daily experiences with Christ.  When we see life through the eyes of the God/Man, Jesus Christ, we find meaning in our search for significance.

In His humanity Jesus grieved and wept, not for Lazarus, but for his two sisters’ pain and torment.  Yet His words still rang in Martha’s ears, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Meaningless or meaningful?  He was about to answer that question for all eternity when He cried, “Lazarus, come forth!” Who else holds that Power and Authority?  Who else has loved us like that? Jesus Christ alone is the Resurrection and the Life, and He, being called Immanuel-God With Us (Matthew 1:23), loved us enough to lead the way. I would call that Meaningful.

Ken