CS-2016-txt-ART.indd 37
LYING IN A FOOD BIN
37
Review copy only—not for distribution.
So let’s tone down the symbolism and dial up
the reality for a few minutes.
It is one thing to be born into a set of circumstances; it is another thing entirely to be appointed
to those circumstances. That God appoints these
circumstances for the arrival of his Son on earth
says something important. It says something
about the character of God himself.
What it says, however… well, that is where
our need for interpretation comes into play.
It would be easy for us to conclude that this
God is at best an irresponsible and at worst a
nasty parent for choosing such a place to bring
his Son into the world. However my experience
and understanding of the God of the Bible is
that he is neither nasty nor irresponsible. Could
it be that by appointing this place and these circumstances for the birth of his Son, this God is
making a specific point and at the same time
revealing something profound about his character and his intentions?
But what is that point, and what might we
learn about him through this curious sign? What
sort of God could he be?
12/09/2016 1:02 PM