December 8

Dad, you're not the Special.

Have you ever tried to move a used queen mattress by yourself?  Its not unbearably heavy, lots to hold onto giving you a misleading sense of optimism...but the moment you try to pick it up it takes on the characteristics of a wet sponge.  The other night I was moving one such mattress out of Anthony's room (kids had a sleep over).  I stood it up on end no problem, and in the attempt to pick it up and carry it on my back I nearly knocked out the lights and cleared off one of his toy shelves.  It was at this point, Anthony slyly stated:  'Dad, you are not the Special'.  If you've seen the Lego Movie, you know what he is talking about.  The Special is a guy named Emmett, a simple lego man that is prophesied to be the special one to save the lego universe from ultimate destruction.  I guess as Anthony observed his clumsy dad wrestling with this enormous mattress it was obvious to him that I will not be able to save the universe...I can't even move a mattress across a room!  I had to laugh at his quick comment, and in a split millisecond I went from angry (what does he mean I'm not the special...you try to move this thing!), to laughing at the truth of his remark.  I'm quick to think I can do and take on more than I am able to, thinking I am the Special, or at least have Special abilities that it was downright funny to be humbled in the sight of my 6 year old.  I am not the Special.  Advent celebrates that the Special (God's own Son) was coming, to deal with our greatest enemy and problem--sin in the human heart and the curse because of it.  Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, the Special in Isaiah 9:2, 8
2"The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine.

8For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
One writer remarked that the greatest thing we can do is recognize that there is a God and we are not him.  We are the people as in verse 2--walking in darkness needing light to break in.  The titles reflect who the Messiah would be but also what he would do...and what we would need:  a mighty God, a wonderful counsellor, an everlasting father and a prince of peace.  Closing off this first week of advent take a few moments and consider these four great titles of Jesus asking yourself--how could these titles of Jesus bring comfort to your life at this very evening?