Advent 4: God Needs Us
December 22, 2019 Psalm 8
Deborah Laforet Matthew 2:1-7
“God Needs Us”
A child wrapped in swaddling clothes, born into this world like any other child. The details on the birth of this child, Jesus, are not listed in our bible, probably because they were so ordinary. Although this may have been an extraordinary child, heralded by angels, he was born of a woman, in the usual way, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, in the usual way.
The very ordinariness may have been important to the writers of the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the two of four gospels in our bible that include the birth story. They may have wanted to ensure people knew that the birth of Jesus was special, of the Holy Spirit, and announced by angels, but also wanted it to be about a child born to a Jewish family, in a small town in Israel, under the reign of Caesar and the Roman Empire. Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine, and forgetting the human part is easy to do. It’s easy to lift him up as Lord and Saviour, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as the Messiah who will save the world. But too much of this makes him beyond our grasp, makes him unreachable and unattainable, kind of like a superhero who really only exists in stories. Jesus was flesh and blood. He laughed; he cried. He could be sad or angry. He sang with his friends and ate meals with anybody and everybody. He was born and wrapped in swaddling clothes. He suffered and died on a cross. This is the very human aspect of Jesus, the aspect that needs others. Imagine that tiny babe, imagine any tiny babe, and its needs for warmth, nourishment, and love. Jesus would have had those same needs.
Have you ever thought about how God needs us? Most articles that I found online say the exact opposite. They say that God doesn’t need us, that we need God but that God can do the impossible and that God does not need us weak and lowly people. The psalm that Harold read for us reflects this in verses 3 and 4: “When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place - what is humanity that you should be mindful of us? Who are we that you should care for us?” In other words, “God, you created this world! Compared to that, we are small and weak and can do so little.”
But, in the very next two lines of that psalm, we hear, “You have made us barely less than God, and crowned us with glory and honour. You have made us responsible for the work of your hands, putting all things at our feet.” We are the stewards of this created world. Unfortunately, this biblical message has been distorted into one of dominating the earth, taking what we want, and being blind to the consequences. I specifically asked the reader today to read from “The Inclusive Bible,” because other translations have God giving humans dominion over creation and putting all things under their feet rather than making us responsible and putting all things at our feet.” It’s amazing what a difference a few changed words can make. With these changed words, we read that we are needed by God to care for all creation.
Perhaps the message in this psalm was not strong enough or has been misunderstood. Perhaps, we needed a stronger hint, a sign from God we are needed. Perhaps God needed to actually dwell on this earth, to live among us, as one of us, to drive the point home. After all, what is more helpless and vulnerable than a child?
Let’s have some conversation. I’m going to have you talk with your neighbour or sit in silent reflection if you choose. I’m going to have you discuss or reflect upon two questions, and I’ll share those questions one at at time. First, I’d like you to share or reflect upon the ways in which we need God. In what ways do we need God in our lives? (Then share as a congregation.)
The renowned rabbi, Abraham Joshua Heschel, said that “God is in search of man,” or better, God is in search of us. God is searching for us because God needs us. In what ways does God need us? Discuss or reflect upon in what ways God needs us.
Jesus, the Christ, continues to be born amongst us, continues to live in us, and continues to be in search of us. We needn’t look very far to find him. Hold a new born child in your arms, and he is there. Hold the hand of someone who is lonely, and he is there. Pray with someone who is ill, and he is there. Look into the eyes of a homeless stranger, and he is there. Listen without judgment to someone who is too often judged, and he is there. And he needs us.
Edmund Thayer is an American writer and poet who wrote a very famous baseball poem called “Casey.” I found a quote of his online that I want to share with you.
Yours is a mission you alone can fill,
Whether it be to build or teach or till;
Your goal may still be hidden from your view,
But somewhere God has urgent need of you.
Friends, we are the hands and feet of Christ in this world. We celebrate a child born in manger and we hope that this child will be the one to save us, but this hope needs to be more than sitting back and waiting for it to happen. This child grew up. He did amazing things and was full of wisdom and he was never alone. He always had followers, people he taught, people who supported him, people who, after he died, continued to do his work. That is what we are called to do.
God has urgent need of you. This world and all that lives upon has urgent need of us, each and every one of us. May you hear the call to your particular mission and passion. May Christ radiate through you in doing amazing things and sharing your wisdom. May the Spirit help you to know that you are never alone, in spirit or in body. Thanks be to God. Amen.