We Carry And Are Carried

My mind travels many pathways in these early morning hours.  Today’s pathway has led me to the third stanza of the hymn, Amazing Grace:  “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” Are those words just poppycock?  Do I really think God (grace) has carried me through the struggles and toils I’ve experienced along my way?  Am I carried, or am I just whistling in the wind? Are we all carried?  I really believe we are.

We are not carried because we believe this or that about God, or because we go to church, synagogue or mosque.  We are carried because God loves us.  We are carried because God has placed his hope in us.  We are carried because as the Quakers say, there is “that of God” in each of us.  Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in the Christmas story.  

God risked the destiny of the world by putting the hope of that world in the hands of two teenagers:  Mary and Joseph.  He poured out himself, emptied himself into human form.  God became vulnerable, weak, an embryo, unable to care for himself.  God gave himself in the gift of child to Mary, who was probably no more than 16 years of age.  Joseph was probably not yet 20 years old.  God allowed himself to be carried.  Off they went to Bethlehem—the baby could have been lost on that 100-mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. God’s hope to be “with us” as Emmanuel could have been dashed on that journey.  God’s gift of himself could have ended if something had gone wrong. Then, in Bethlehem, in a dirty stable, the baby was born without anyone around to help in the birthing. That could have ended the whole thing. One little infection could have ended it all.  God took the risk! What a risk!  Joseph and Mary carried it off—God carried it off.  Who carried who?

Is there “that of God” in us?  Do we carry within us, just as Mary carried, that of God?    Does God take that kind of amazing risk?  Has God poured out himself, emptied himself into us in some mysterious way or another?  How else could God be Emmanuel (God  is with us)?  Is this the on-going Christmas story—God taking the risk and emptying God’s very self (Jesus) into my life and yours?  Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’tis God hath carried me safe thus far, and I am carrying, too, along with you, “that of God.” What amazing grace!

Sunset on the Aegean Sea