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Yesterday's sermon focused on Mary, the mother of Jesus, the "theotokos", or the "God-bearer." One of the most unique things that we believe as Christians is that our God, the creator of the universe, took on flesh and became a human. We call this the "incarnation." And this incarnation began with the very human pregnancy of a very human woman. In his book, "Honest Advent," artist and author Scott Erickson writes this:

"What does it say about a God...
who's willing to be the vulnerable with us?
who's willing to come into this world through the statistical risk of childbirth?
who's willing to be attached by a placenta for nourishment and life to its own creation?
who's willing to wait and grow in the human womb?
who's willing to be fearfully and wonderfully made, just like we are?"

What does this willingness to be so vulnerable teach us about who God is? It teaches us that God values connection and relationship with us enough to forfeit power and strength. It teaches us that God understands the fullness of the human experience, from birth to death, joy to despair, celebration to suffering, laughing to weeping, because God has lived it.

The first week of Advent, may we reflect on the very human way our God came into this world, and may we remember that, in God's vulnerability, we find deep love, deep connection, and deep care.

-Pastor Julia