The Final Word

As we have for the past few years, our community again this year marked the Advent/Christmas season with a presentation of 'Nine Lessons and Carols', and ensemble of nine Advent/Christmas themed Scripture readings, each one paired with a musical piece. As we did last year, our family sang one of the carols. This time, we sang Michael Card's The Final Word, in conjunction with John 1:1-14 on the theme of 'The Incarnation of the Word of God'. . . ------------------------- The Final Word by Michael Card You and me, we use so very many clumsy words; The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard. When the Father's wisdom wanted to communicate His love He spoke it in on final perfect Word. CHORUS: He spoke the Incarnation, and then so was born the Son. His final Word was Jesus, He needed no other one. Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed, and make a Way divine. And so was born the baby Who would die to make it mine. And so the Father's fondest Thought took on flesh and bone. He spoke the living luminous Word; at once His will was done. And so the transformation that in man had been unheard Took place in God the Father as He spoke that final Word. CHORUS And so the Light became alive, and Manna became Man. Eternity stepped into time, so we could understand. CHORUS ------------------------- (And we brought down the house when 8M stepped up to the mike for his solo on the last line of the final chorus. Because yeah, it was just that cute.) I love this song, in part because (as I mentioned last year, pertaining to a different song) it makes the connection between the Incarnation and the Passion - between the Baby in the manger, and the Cross and Resurrection, which is a large part of the whole point of the Incarnation. It also captures the sense of Jesus' kenosis, His self-emptying, in taking on human flesh and blood - 'eternity stepped into time'. Or, as one of the early church Fathers said, a manger in a stable contained the One who held the Universe in His hand. . . Because of Christmas - because of the Incarnation - our humanity is filled to its fullest, and our dignity as made in the Image of God can be restored. All because God is With Us. And I wish a richly blessed Christmas to all my family and friends. . .