Now through the end of December, a chance to re-examine the gifts of Advent, the arrival of a Savior, and the epiphany of Epiphany.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
If you follow Advent tradition, today is a day to light a second purple candle representing love. If there is a central theme to Christmas, it is love. Even those who don’t attach Christian significance to the holiday think of giving gifts, preparing special surprises, and meals, and moments – all because they want to show love.
From heaven’s perspective, Advent is about a love that does battle. During the same season we ponder what to buy, God is buying something back – something that has been stolen. Perhaps we shop at Amazon, or Target, but God shops the slave markets, the streets, the alleyways and prisons of our world. O come, o come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, we sing.
Ransom is not a hoity-toity theological term. If someone is kidnapped, the perpetrator demands a payment to release the prisoner. Every person belongs to God, but evil has raped, pillaged and taken captive. In that sense, we’ve all known slavery until Jesus paid the price placed on our heads, the price of sin and separation from God. He made his advent, not to be served as a king, but to serve as a ransom on behalf of love. He is the one – the only One – whose life was perfect enough to buy back the many, thus closing the gap between God and us.
Prayer: Giver of good gifts, thank you that you battled to pay our ransom. It helps us understand love, redemption, and freedom.
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