Week 4 (Love): Born to Be God With Us

So given the idea that this week is a reflection on God’s Charity I thought it might be helpful to rephrase our reading heading with that in mind.

Jesus was born to be God with us BECAUSE WE NEED IT. 

And isn’t that the Truth. We need God with us in every conceivable fashion. 

In the reading from Matthew, the genealogy of Christ, I am reassured about so many ways God showed up to be “with” us. My favorite this time through are the women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba).

Tamar was is a woman who was selected to marry Judah’s son Er. Er was so evil, God killed him. As was tradition, she then married the next oldest son Onan. Onan’s fundamental job in this was to give her a son to justify her existence in the community and he was having sex with her but preventing pregnancy (essentially using her). So God killed him too. Judah then promised her his next son, but plotted to never make it happen. He blamed Tamar for the deaths... thought she was cursed! So Tamar plotted to be impregnated by Judah. She pretended to be a prostitute and he had sex with her. It’s a cool story because she basically outwits Judah to repair her reputation and secure her place in the world.

This is a woman that God decided to include and mention BY NAME in Christ’s lineage. Her life and suffering were poured into the very birth of God. 

Rahab literally was a prostitute and a pagan. The Israelites were coming to attack and take over her city (Jericho). Recognizing that God’s hand was on them, she helped them to scout the city. 

Ruth was a pagan widow from an enemy country. 

And Bathsheba (referred to as Uriah’s wife) was essentially stolen by David out of lust and then murdered her husband. 

God honored these women’s lives and sacrifices. They are our sisters. 

Three of Four.... 3 of 4... we can confidently described as sexually abused. 2 of 4 had their bodies sold. 3 of 4 were widows. 2 of 4 of these women were Pagan. 

These were women who knew hard choices. These were women who were not innocent. Theses were women who were called cursed and rejected. 

Our God saw them. And loved them. And gave them dignity and their lives meaning and love. He esteemed them to play a recorded role in the birth of God with us.

That’s some WITH US. And we need it.