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A Steady Companion

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Abraham was the father of Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers …
                            Matthew 1:1-2

The many names from Abraham to Jesus are certainly not saints.  They are names of men and women who struggled hard with the powers of evil, sometimes more successfully than others, and who have experienced love, hatred, joy, pain, reward and punishment, like ourselves.  It is these men and women who form the story in which God himself wanted to become a part.  God, so it seems inserted himself in our tiresome and often exhausting journey and became a fellow traveler.  When Jesus joined the sad and deeply disappointed disciples on the road to Emmaus and opened their eyes so that they could see what was happening, he revealed what it means that God is a God with us.

God came to us because he wanted to join us on the road, to listen to our story, and to help us realize that we are not walking in circles but moving towards the house of peace and joy.  This is the great mystery of Christmas that continues to give us comfort and consolation:  we are not alone on our journey.  The God of love who gave us life sent his only Son to be with us at all times and in all places, so that we never have to feel lost in our struggles but can always trust that he walks with us.

Action
Is there something that you need to do but have been putting off because it is frightening?  Today would be a good day to do it, secure in the knowledge that God will be with you always, no matter what happens.

Taken from: “The Lord Is Near: Advent Meditations From The Works of Henri J. M. Nouwen.” p.22.

Photo by Thom Milkovic on Unsplash