Hiccups for Christmas! And God--Lover of the Lowly

We had to chuckle during a Christmas program this month when one of the youngsters singing up front ended up with hiccups!

Unabashed, the girl continued singing, the loud hiccups punctuating one line after another. 

Hiccups did not ruin the Christmas program.

Rather, of the dozens of poems and Scriptures, sermon, and songs sung,  the hiccups was one thing we remembered!

 And God knew we would not remember or be impressed with sermons, songs, poems, or even Scriptures.

So He sent--hiccups.

A Baby--who hiccuped just like we do.

God clothed with umbilical cord, swaddling cloths, and hiccups.

“Incarnation.” 

"It is not what we would expect. God comes in lowly status, born in a manger, in a far corner of the world... Chesterton captures the paradox:

The Child that was ere worlds begun...
The Child that played with moon and sun
Is playing with a little hay."  
[https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/a-christmas-fairy-tale]

 

 John Piper writes that during his first Advent at Bethlehem years ago, he "lingered over Mary’s magnificent song one Sunday evening. It is a remarkable vision of God as a lover of the lowly. He is not the least impressed by human pride or power or wealth. He loves to show mercy to the lowly who fear him."

This Christmas was pretty lowly for our family, as we cooked simple meals and made or bought simple gifts,

 attended a lowly country Christmas parade,

where lowly fire trucks, tow trucks, and other simple wagons and vehicles spread cheer and light along the street,

as we reached out to lowly community children Christmas Sunday,

and invited a teen and grandparent along with our children's own grandparents into our home for Christmas Day.
No platform activities.
No applause.
No greatness or glory or bells or stars or halos. 
(Just lassos!)

  "God is honored when we turn from fragile security of wealth to the unfailing security of trust.

  His promises are better treasure," Piper writes.

My sister Dorcas shared this picture of a simple Christmas decoration her girls had made with just what they had on hand--

greenery, red ribbon and candle, and popsicle sticks they painted red and turned into a sled!

To me, simple is best!

God is God of the lowly, not of the great.

He is God of the humble, not of the proud.

He is God of the poor, not of the rich.

He is God of the classless--not of the classy.  

He came to shepherds.

He became a Lamb.

God--this Lover of the lowly!