We come to the place of Christmas. We sing with gentleness, “O Holy Night.”
Holy is not comfortable. It is not even predictable. We want a sweet song to sweep away our problems and lavish us in comfort. But what is holy does not avoid pain or difficulty. Holy makes way for the good, but that is not always comfortable.
Christ has come. It is not comfortable. He will not conform to what we want in a king. Israel was looking for that king to come who would slay their foes and lift them on high. the American church still has this picture of a mighty warrior at the Second Coming, while wanting to avoid the discomfort of what is holy now.
Our King is holy, and HOLY is found among the poor. Among the refugees. Among the marginalized. We want to set aside what is now to anticipate a false picture of a mighty warrior king who will burn up all our enemies (which are mainly Marxists and Socialists and people who spout CRT).
Our King is holy, and HOLY comes into our current messes and dwells with us there. He welcomes weakness. He embraces the uncomfortable. He sits with those who hurt.
We are to follow our King. We too will find that holiness has its joy and its discomfort. It is hard and unpredictable. But when we follow that way of the King, we find the presence of the King with us.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 