By Judge George Flint

Today, my wife reported to me that she had seen on the news a house which had been totally destroyed by the recent tornados with two exceptions – the grandmother and the three grandchildren were protected. Also, their Christmas tree and all of the presents under it had been undisturbed although the rest of the house was gone.  Clearly a miracle!

For us at Christians Engaged, as believers in Christ, there is so much in this image and in this miracle to reflect on. 

First, there is the believing grandmother who engaged with her grandchildren to protect them, all the time being surrounded by the wind and fury of a world gone mad. 

Secondly, there are the undisturbed presents under the tree, and the tree itself.

The presents for me represent the actual reason for the season, simply Jesus, born to us as defenseless as those presents, the gift of God to all who hear and see. In hearing and seeing, we believe in Him.  Just as the children will engage with the presents in opening them at the appointed time, so we will have the same joy as we unwrap the wonder of the Present we have been given as we engage the Word, both written and in the flesh.

Many people will look at this scene of desolation and contemplate only on what is gone.  We who engage in life and engage our Present, our gift from the One who made both life and the world, see something far, far different.  We see what remains after the things of this world are destroyed -- victory over death, light in the darkness, a new day with new possibilities, life, hope, and all things made new.

There is a final “piece” to this tableau.  If the storm represents our culture today, what exactly did the grandmother engage?  Did she fight the storm? 

Yes and no. 

What she did fight was the “micro culture,” circumstances of her and her grandchildren and the fear that she and they likely had.   

What did she do to engage? 

She loved those entrusted to her care, she sacrificed her safety for theirs by wrapping her body around them, and she very, very likely engaged with God through prayer during the whole ordeal.

The truth is that every day is filled with new terrors as the winds of change blow and the things we rely upon to work are broken and scattered. 

And every day in the midst of this chaos we get a chance to be that present under the tree to someone who needs to see the miracle, to be loved, and to be engaged with the truth. 

Will we be that grandmother?

Will we be Christians Engaged?

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