“God has done this. God will manifest his power. That is what Christmas is about. Not what men are going to do, nor what they should do. No, no—what God has done. We are asked to stand back and to look and listen.”
—David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Peace Be With You (John 20:19-31)
“‘We do not know… how can we know the way?’
Courageous master of the awkward question,
You spoke the words the others dared not say
And cut through their evasion and abstraction.
Oh doubting Thomas, father of my faith,
You put your finger on the nub of things
We cannot love some disembodied wraith,
But flesh and blood must be our king of kings.
Your teaching is to touch, embrace, anoint,
Feel after Him and find Him in the flesh.
Because He loved your awkward counter-point
The Word has heard and granted you your wish.
Oh place my hands with yours, help me divine
The wounded God whose wounds are healing mine.”
—Malcolm Guite
I Am Your Redeemer Who Brings You Peace (Job 41:1-11, Isaiah 11:1-9)
“He will come, will come,
will come like crying in the night,
like blood, like breaking,
as the earth writhes to toss him free.
He will come like child.”
—Rowan Williams, Advent Calendar