Advent Day Twenty-Seven

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

We live in a complex world.  While some would argue that the technology afforded us has made life simpler and more convenient, most would agree that there are many layers of complexity that are now a part of our everyday rhythms.  We are described as the most connected society in human history, and yet, loneliness has become an epidemic that is continually on the rise.  Technology has been pitched as the tool that will afford us more time in our daily rhythm, and yet, the ongoing narrative in our culture is that we are increasingly busier than ever, with little margin to experience the true joys life has to offer us.  

We are a complex society, and because of this, we are a weary society.  As we journey through the season of Advent, there is no lack of complexities that often find their way into this time of year.  To prove this point, simply make your way to the nearest retail store and you will see a layer of complexity as crowds of people navigate the aisles to find the perfect gift for loved ones.  Complexity.  Or perhaps you might turn on the television and spend some time watching the various shows, movies, and commercials that conceptualize for us what society defines as the “perfect” Christmas experience.  Complexity.  Is it any wonder that we often journey through the Advent season with a certain layer of tension within us as we attempt to search for a deeper meaning that will bring a greater sense of contentment and peace?

As we go to the Christmas story, there are certainly a number of complex aspects to the birth of Jesus.  Theologians have and will continue to spend a great deal of time trying to unravel and communicate with others the Incarnation of a Holy God coming in human form, the Triune God, and a virgin birth.  These are complex issues to unpack. 

At its very core, however, the Christmas story is full of simplicity.  A simple girl, in a simple town, who made a simple pledge both to God (I am the Lord’s servant) and to a simple boy whom she would marry.  This simple couple would build a simple life together while raising the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

A simple birth, in a simple home, among simple people.  If Jesus wanted to make a glorious entrance into the world, this was not the way to go about it!  Attention demands complexity because the world is drawn to a sensational story.   A poor, teenage couple bringing a child into the world was not a story that most would deem worth telling.

There have been many along the way who have wondered why Jesus would choose to enter the world in such a simple and humble way.  Some have questioned how the Savior of the world could possibly find a way to take on such a posture of humility, and yet, it is this very posture of humility that draws weary hearts to seek Him.  It is this humility that tells the story of a Savior whose priority is to live with us and among us in order that through His presence we might experience the power of His love and forgiveness.  

Christmas, in its truest form, is a reminder that Jesus came into our complex world with amazing simplicity.  This simplicity offers us some important reminders this Christmas season about who Jesus is to us and what He brings to a complex world that at times seems to be running at full throttle on the train of chaos.  It reminds us that Jesus isn’t interested in a relationship with us that is built on perfection, performance, or legalism - all complexities that many of us have come to believe are necessary for our relationship with Christ.  Instead, Jesus is calling us to take His yoke upon us, a yoke that is easy and light, one that is built on simplicity and humility.  

As your journey through Advent, embrace the simplicity of this season.  Take time to breathe it in.  Allow yourself to experience the yoke of your Savior, a yoke that is not filled with complexities that choke the life out of you, but instead a yoke that brings peace and hope in the midst of a very complex world.