Sunday, December 29, 2002

...we have all received grace upon grace. The law was given through Moses; grace and truth come through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17

When we see God in Jesus Christ, John tells us that we see divine grace and eternal truth. When we get in touch with the fullness that is Jesus - the whole, completed human being in the image of God, we receive grace upon grace. What overwhelming gifts these are, offered to us because the Word became flesh and dwells among us!

And so the work of God in Jesus, for which we have prepared this Advent and celebrated this Christmas week, once again astounds us with the extent of God's mercy and God's love for us. Often at Christmas I am overcome by the wonder of the gift of God's love in taking our limitations in order to come to us, so that we can see and know God. The incarnation is very humbling, and infinitely precious.

It is the greatest sign of God's grace. The Greek word for "grace" is "charis" and it translates many Hebrew words. They are all attempts to put into words the nature of God. Just the one Hebrew word "hesed", which lies behind all concepts of grace, has multiple meanings. It is translated as steadfast love, mercy, loving kindness, faithfulness, loyalty, Covenant love and care. It bespeaks God's faithfulness to us, no matter what. It is the basis for our belief that we are a family, God's children, and part of the family of God. All of these attributes are part of grace. Raymond Brown, in his superb Anchor Bible commentaries on the gospel of John, translates "grace" as "enduring love." So he says "And of his fullness we have all had a share love in place of love." New love in place of the law, which was also given in love to a people who wanted to enter into covenant with their saving God.

But grace is not just gift to us. It is a demand for an active response. John Wesley has a wonderful definition of grace. He says that grace is "God's love acting in power!" And once God's love acts in power in our lives, we are called and appointed to be grace to others. Jesus in John takes all the law and the prophets and declares:

I give you a new commandment: that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

We have come full circle, haven't we? The Word is at the beginning, giving life and light to all creation. The Word becomes flesh and dwells among us because of God's wondrous love for us. And we become channels for that love to flow from God through Jesus through us out to all the world, so the world can come to love God too. We are part of a great Circle of Love. Such is the glory of Christmas. Let us carry the joy, the challenge, and our faithful response throughout every day of the coming year.

Prayer: Holy One, we have seen the light, which the darkness cannot overcome. Help us to keep the light of this Christmas season burning in our hearts. May your love show through our lives to your honor and glory, now and evermore. Amen

Hazelyn McComas

All contents copyright 2002 by the Wisconsin Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action. Permission is granted to United Methodist congregations, individuals and groups to reproduce and distribute this devotional without charge. All other use requires the advance permission of the editor.