Christmas Time

At Christmas time we celebrate the incarnation of Christ - the entrance of the Lord of glory into our common humanity in order to represent us and die in our place, rescuing us to ultimately take us home for all eternity. This is by far the greatest news this tired old world has ever heard. But I think at times people (that would be all of us) can struggle to appreciate how something that happened more than 2000 years ago can be considered exciting? That’s one of the reasons Santa is so exciting, because he comes every year!!! And while we talk about Jesus coming again, we tend to think about that in the same way we talk about our own departure from this world – we say it can happen at any time, but we live as if we have forever. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone where you spoke as if it could be your last words to them?

Time is a problem for us. It isn’t a problem for God.

1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”… 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2Pet 3:1-4, 8,9

Time is a problem for us. It isn’t a problem for God. It isn’t easy for us to understand exactly why one day is like a thousand years for God or how a thousand years is like a day. Some of the speculations about this statement have been fanciful. But I am very thankful for Peter’s words here in this passage because it gains us some insight into what the Bible means when it presents us with a God who is infinite and eternal. He exists outside of space and time as He created both. There are at least 4 different times in the New Testament where we are told that God existed before the beginning of time. (1Cor 2:7 ; 2Tim 1:9 ; Tit 1:2 and Jude 1:25) This provides us with at least a partial explanation as to how God knows the future. He’s already there!

If trying to wrap your mind around this gives you a brain cramp you’re in good company. It is not actually possible that our finite minds comprehend God in His fullness. But what these truths should do for us is leave us with a great sense of wonder. And perhaps that is how the passage of time becomes rather insignificant, whether Christ came two thousand years ago or as if He had come yesterday. Whether He comes again tomorrow or a thousand years from now, the sheer wonder of the greatness of God and the grandeur of His costly love for us should inspire us beyond any fanciful story that men could ever write.